1/4 c margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 can drained tuna fish
1 cup frozen peas (or to taste)
salt and pepper
bread (for toasting)
Melt the margarine in a saucepan.
Add the flour and blend.
Add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent clumping and stir until creamy.
Add the tuna, peas, salt and pepper and warm through
As the tuna is warming, toast bread.
After toasted, cut in triangles and spoon tuna mixture over the toast.
2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided]
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water, or more as needed
1 tablespoon cornmeal
teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
1/4C. Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
For the pastry:NOTE: very good baked in pie plate without crust
Start by making the crust. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together the egg yolk and water, and add it to the flour mixture. Mix everything together with a fork until the dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour. Take out of the refrigerator about a few minutes before you’re ready to roll it out.
Roll out the dough and fit it to your tart pan. You may have to patch it up a bit, but don’t worry, it’ll turn out great. Pierce the dough all over with a fork and place the tart shell in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the kale, crushed red pepper flakes, and a couple drizzles of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another couple minutes, just until the kale is wilted. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (210 degrees C). Blind bake the tart shell for 10 minutes, and remove from the oven. If you see it starting to puff up at all, poke the dough with a fork again!
Prep your potato by peeling it and slicing it paper-thin. A mandolin helps, but a sharp knife will do the job. Add the thyme and ricotta to the kale mixture. Place a layer of sweet potato slices in the bottom of the tart shell. Spread the kale and cheese mixture evenly over that, and top with another layer of sweet potato slices. Brush the top thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle the cheese over the tart. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease eight 8-ounce ramekins or the baking dishes of your choice (see headnote) with a little oil and set on a baking sheet.
Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leeks and all but 1 teaspoon of the thyme to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, until the leeks are tender. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot all at once. Cook until the mushrooms are collapsed, tender and glistening, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stir and cook for about a minute, until the flour no longer tastes raw.
Pour the stout into the pot, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar and tamari. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is gently bubbling and cook until the liquid is reduced and as thick as gravy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the olives and chopped parsley. Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper.
Divide the mushroom mixture among the ramekins. Layer the sweet potato slices on top, overlapping the rounds as you go, until there are 2 solid layers of sweet potatoes on each dish. Brush the sweet potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle equally with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the 1 teaspoon of pepper and the remaining chopped thyme.
Cover the ramekins with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake the potpies for 30 to 40 minutes or until the mushroom mixture is bubbling and the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the foil, turn the oven to broil, and return the pot pies to the broiler for just a minute or two, until the sweet potatoes are nicely browned. (Watch carefully, so they don’t burn.) Garnish with the thyme sprigs. Serve hot. 8 servings
Adapted from a recipe by Laura Wright on TheFirstMess.com
1 cup coarse (#3) bulgur
Salt to taste
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 plump garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper
1 12-ounce bunch spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly in 2 changes of water, or 2 6-ounce bags baby spinach
2 teaspoons dried mint or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed) (optional)
2 ounces Gruyère, or 1 ounce each Gruyère and Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)
1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur and salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, uncover and place a clean dish towel over the pan, then replace the lid. Allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes or longer. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide skillet or a shallow 3-quart saucepan and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes, sugar, salt to taste, and allspice or cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant sauce, about 20 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add freshly ground pepper.
3. Steam the spinach until it wilts, 1 to 2 minutes, rinse briefly with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Do this by the handful to get out all the water. Chop coarsely. Add to the bulgur. Add the mint and the chickpeas if using, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce and toss together.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Spread the bulgur mixture in the dish in an even layer. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle on the cheese. Drizzle on the last tablespoon of olive oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: Serves 6
Variation: Substitute feta for the Gruyère.
1 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, dividedHeat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add farro and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and farro is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into small chunks with a spatula, until almost cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, toss well and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from the heat and stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir parsley, oregano, salt and pepper into pot with farro, then spoon onto plates. Top with sausage-mushroom mixture and serve.
rnut squash (3 pounds)Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees. Have two rimmed baking sheets at hand.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds, then cut the flesh into wedges 3/4 inch wide and about 2 3/4 inches long, leaving the skin on. Place in a large bowl with the cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well so that the squash is evenly coated. Place the squash pieces on the baking sheets skin side down and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until soft and starting to color on top. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
To make the herb paste, combine the cilantro, garlic, the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil and a generous pinch of salt in a mini food processor; puree to form a smooth paste.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast for 6 to 8 minutes. Their outer skins will pop open, and the seeds will become light and crispy. Let them cool.
To serve, swirl together the yogurt and Sriracha sauce. Lay the squash wedges on a platter and drizzle the spicy yogurt sauce, then the herb paste, over the top. (Or swirl the yogurt sauce and herb paste together if you like.) Scatter the pumpkin seeds on top, followed by the extra cilantro leaves and additional Sriracha, if desired, and serve.
Spaghettini with Garlic and Oil Eliminate the mushrooms and reduce the oil to 7 tablespoons. Just cook the garlic and red-pepper flakes for a minute and toss with the remaining ingredients.
Spaghettini with Walnuts, Garlic, and Oil Eliminate the mushrooms and reduce the olive oil to 7 tablespoons. At the end, toss in 2/3 cup of toasted and chopped walnuts.