3garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 cupsYukon Gold potatoes, peeled, medium dice
2 1/2 cupsbroccoli florets, no stems
3 1/2 cupsstock, chicken or vegetable
6 smallish fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 cupParmesan, grated
In a 3 1/2-quart heavy-bottomed pot, combine the olive oil and half the butter. Place the pot over medium heat. Once the butter begins to melt, add the onions. Season them with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Saute the onions until they become golden. Don’t rush this step and adjust the heat as necessary to keep them from browning too fast. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the potatoes. Stir them to coat with oil and let them sizzle away for a minute or two. Add the broccoli and do the same as you did with the potatoes. Add the stock.
Bring the stock to a boil. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning. Go easy on the salt though because the Parmesan has lots and will act as seasoning as well.
Simmer the soup until the broccoli and potatoes are tender. The broccoli is not going to remain vibrant green, but if it is good broccoli it won’t be olive drab either.
Once the potatoes have cooked through, add the parmesan, the remaining butter, and the basil. Stir to combine and serve with more black pepper.
½ cup chopped fresh mint (or use parsley, basil or dill), for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
As the pasta boils, slice asparagus stems into ¼-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, peas, scallions and red-pepper flakes. Cook until vegetables are bright green and just tender (but not soft or mushy), 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with the salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; pour mixture into a large serving bowl.
To the same skillet, add the heavy cream, ½ cup grated Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until reduced and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return vegetables to the skillet and toss with the sauce to reheat.
When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain well.
Immediately put the hot pasta in the same bowl you used for the vegetables and toss with remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan, lemon zest and mint. Add vegetable-cream mixture and the juice of half a lemon, and toss well. If the mixture looks thick, add a little pasta water to loosen it; it should be saucy. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper and more lemon juice as needed; it should taste bright and lively. Serve, topping each bowl with more Parmesan, mint and a drizzle of olive oil.
2 Alaskan, organic or ASC-certified Scottish salmon fillets
2 spring onions (trimmed)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes
FOR THE SALAD
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
100 grams watercress
1 teaspoon organic cloudy apple cider vinegar
1 small ripe avocado
1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes or to taste
Put the salmon fillets in a small frying pan (I use one with a 20cm / 8in diameter) and cover with cold water from the tap. Add the whole spring onions and peppercorns, squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle in the salt, then bring to the boil, uncovered. When the pan is bubbling, turn the fillets over, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for 7 minutes. Then take the fillets out of the liquid and leave to cool completely, which could take up to 1 hour. Once cool, the salmon will be cooked through, with its flesh desirably tender and coral inside.
While the salmon’s cooling, make a start on the salad. Toast the pumpkin seeds by tossing them in a dry, heavy-based frying pan on the hob. They will start jumping a little, and will darken and get a smokier taste. It doesn’t take long to toast them, so don’t leave the pan and, indeed, keep giving it a quick swirl. Then transfer to a cold plate.
When you’re ready to unite salmon with salad, put the watercress into a large shallow bowl (or split between 2 bowls), sprinkle with the vinegar, and toss. Now add the salmon, removing the skin and tearing the fish into bite-sized pieces or shreddy bits, as you wish.
Halve the avocado and remove the stone, then spoon the flesh out onto the salmon and watercress, or cut it into slices if you prefer. Drizzle the oil over the salad, sprinkle with the salt and half of the toasted pumpkin seeds, and toss gently to mix. Scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds on top, and eat.
Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl. You will use half for the marinade in step 2 and half for cooking the shrimp in step 3.
Place shrimp in a large sealable container or zipped-top bag. Pour 1/2 of the marinade/sauce mixture on top, give it all a shake or stir, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or for up to 8-12 hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for step 3. (Time-saving tip: while the shrimp is marinating, we usually steam broccoli and microwave some quick brown rice.)
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the skillet. (Discard used marinade.) Cook shrimp on one side until pink, about 45 seconds, then flip shrimp over. Pour in remaining marinade/sauce and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through, about 1-2 more minutes.
Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and a garnish of green onion. The sauce is excellent on brown rice and steamed vegetables on the side.
2½ pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Carrots Onion Celery Veggie stock
Cheese
Salt and pepper
garlic
Step 1 Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets, lleaves and onions with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 2 Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and veggie to a simmer over medium. Add Carrots and celery then Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
Step 3 Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.
Step 4 Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.
About ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
5 garlic cloves
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
4 sprigs oregano
3 sprigs basil, plus 5 large leaves
5 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup ricotta
2 ounces fresh mozzarella
Step 1 Place the eggplant slices in a colander over a bowl. Season with ½ teaspoon salt. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain and pat slices dry with a paper towel. Season with pepper.
Step 2 Working in batches, heat some of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (you will need about ½ cup total for frying, less with a nonstick pan). Add as much eggplant to the skillet as fits comfortably in a single layer. Cook, without moving, until undersides are dark golden, about 4 minutes; flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining oil and eggplant.
Step 3 Let the skillet cool for a few minutes. Return it to medium heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. Smash and peel 4 garlic cloves and add them to the skillet; cook until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and oregano. Cook, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spatula, until tomatoes start to form a sauce, 15 minutes. Add the basil sprigs and 4 tablespoons Parmesan; simmer 5 minutes longer.
Step 4 While the sauce simmers, in a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Mince 1 garlic clove and add to the skillet with the bread crumbs. Toast, stirring, until bread crumbs are just golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon Parmesan and a pinch of salt.
Step 5 Arrange eggplant on a large platter. Spoon dollops of ricotta over the eggplant and top with sauce. Scatter bread crumbs over sauce. Top with mozzarella and garnish with torn basil leaves. Drizzle with oil and serve.
2 cups red lentils 2 large russet potatoes 1 carrot 1 onion 3 pieces garlic 1 tomato 7 cups water 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp salt lemon wedges to serve few sprigs parsley zaa’tar to taste pepper to taste
1. Rinse and drain the red lentils and set aside. Peel the russet potatoes and chop into small cubes. 2. Finely chop the carrot, onion, and garlic. Dice the tomato 3. Use a kettle and bring the 7 cups of water to boil 4. Heat up a stock pot to medium heat. Add the olive oil followed by the onions. Sauté for 3-4min 5. Add the carrots and sauté for 2min. Add the garlic and sauté for 1min 6. Add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another minute. Then, add in the red lentils and tomato. Sauté for another minute 7. Add the potatoes and pour in the hot water. Give the pot a good stir 8. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and cook on medium for 20 min 9. Transfer 3-4 cups of the soup to a blender. Blend on medium low for a few seconds. Then, pour the soup back into the pot and give it a good stir to combine 10. Plate the soup and garnish with fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of zaa’tar, and fresh cracked pepper to taste
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package extra-firm or firm tofu, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large, kept whole if small
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges (about 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing
½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels) and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board or pan is lightweight, stack a few cans or a skillet on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes, and up to 45 minutes.
Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut slabs into 1-inch cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides of the tofu with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, cornstarch, garlic powder (if using) and 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano. Add tofu to cornstarch mixture and gently toss until tofu is evenly coated. Dump tofu onto one side of the prepared sheet pan.
In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil, tossing to combine.
Arrange vegetables on other side of the prepared sheet pan. Bake until tofu is crisp and golden brown, and tomatoes are condensed, 25 to 35 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip tofu and toss vegetables while keeping the tofu and veggies separate.
To serve, sprinkle cilantro on top and drizzle with balsamic and oil, if you’d like.
1 teaspoon white sugar ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
Place flour, salt, sugar, and grated cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir together until well mixed. Add rosemary; drizzle with olive oil and add water. Mix with a fork until mixture comes together in a fairly sticky dough and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer dough onto floured surface and add flour as you knead the dough. Knead until it no longer sticks to work surface, 4 to 5 minutes. Divide dough in half.
Dust work surface with flour. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness or less. Brush or mist surface of dough very lightly with water. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Prick the entire surface of dough with the tines of a fork to prevent crackers from puffing too much when baking.
Cut each rolled out half into about 30 pieces with a pizza wheel. You can cut them out in squares, rectangles, or triangles–your choice. Transfer onto prepared baking sheet with a bench scraper or your floured fingers (dough will be very sticky).
Bake in preheated oven until perfectly browned and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness.
