Epifurious

Honey Harissa Farro Salad with Roasted Carrots, Rutabaga, Feta and Mint

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:43:02 -0400

Since we’ll be moving in a few months, I’m in another “clear out the cupboards” phase (much more appealing than clearing out my closet). Today’s ingredient? Farro and some veggies from my CSA box. A few trusty Google searches later led me to Smitten Kitchen’s (via Serious Eats) recipe for Honey Harissa Farro Salad.

Alterations: I had a beautiful bunch of carrots from the CSA, but couldn’t find parsnips at the store so substituted rutabaga. I ended up adding a bit more harissa to my dressing to spice it up and less olive oil.

Do-again?: The salad was totally fresh with good texture. I ate it for dinner last night and lunch today (perked up with a little more lemon juice on day 2). Would pack well for a picnic too.

Pecan Praline Bacon

Thu, 02 May 2013 06:00:58 -0400

My bookclub meets for brunch every other month. Last month’s meeting, to discuss the Paris Wife, was held right before I left for a trip to New Orleans. This means I should have been trying to eat healthily since I know it would all go to (delicious) hell in NOLA, but instead it meant that I was in the mood for Southern food and opted to try to make Pecan Praline Bacon.

Alterations: I used Trader Joe’s Black Forest bacon and chopped my pecans in my Ninja.

Do-again?: Bacon on its own is indulgent. This is a step beyond. The spice and sugar bring it to the next level. You can’t eat more than a piece or two but it’s worth it (and so easy in the oven to boot).

Spicy Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:47:00 -0400

When you pin a recipe multiple times, you know you have to make it. This is what happened with the Comfort of Cooking’s Spicy Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese — it was only a matter of time. It’s also just a template for whatever mishmash of vegetables you may have in your house and proves my point that you just need cheese and/or hot sauce to make anything taste good.

Alterations: I trimmed the recipe in half and used a combination of chopped peppers, chard, carrots and onions for my vegetables.

Do-again?: Super tasty. I mean, how can you go wrong with delicious roasted veggies, spice and cheese? This seems like the perfect comfort food solution to getting rid of odds and ends in the fridge.

Braised French Onion Chicken

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:20:40 -0400

About a month ago while on vacation in the Grand Canyon, we ate in the dining room of the historic El Tovar Lodge. Since it was a cold night, we started with a cup of French Onion soup. The rich broth and gooey cheese hit the spot and I’ve been thinking about making the soup ever since. I had some chicken thighs that needed to be used and recalled that I had pinned a TheKitchn recipe for Braised French Onion Chicken and figured I could kill two birds (sorry but I had to) with one stone.

Alterations: I halved the recipe and used dried instead of fresh herbs. I also used Emmentaler instead of Gruyere since it was on sale at my local grocer.

Do-again?: This was delicious, rich and very easy. My boyfriend said he really liked the flavor, especially the herbs. The chicken became very tender and the broth tasted good when sopping up with a sourdough baguette.

Eggplant and Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:56:53 -0400

A few weeks ago I purchased a bottle of pomegranate molasses at a gourmet warehouse sale. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but it was a pretty bottle and sounded good. Inspiration found me when I stumbled across this Food & Wine recipe for Eggplant and Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses and after I got a 3 for $2 deal on Eggplant at the Grand Central Market during a jury duty lunch excursion, I decided to make the stew this week.

Alterations: I forgot to buy an onion so I chopped up a couple of shallots instead. I also used a lot less oil, which may have been why I burned the hell out of some of the stew. The problem could also have been not stirring enough or the level of heat. I added a little bit of honey after I finished cooking as well as the pomegranate molasses was quite tart.

Do-again?: This dish was tasty and had a very different flavor. I really liked the smooth texture of the eggplant and the slightly crunch of the lentils. The tart and heat from the chiles played off each other nicely.

Spaghetti Squash with Lemon, Ricotta, Asparagus and Prosciuitto

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:05:18 -0400

The last time I had a craving for spaghetti squash was in the midst of my Paleo experiment. The craving was really for marinara sauce and I figured the best non carb vehicle to eat it would be on spaghetti squash but my grocer was fresh out. While I’m not on the Paleo bent anymore, I still felt that my spaghetti squash craving needed to be satisfied. TheKitchn’s recipe for Spaghetti Squash with Lemon, Ricotta and Asparagus looked like the perfect springtime menu and as luck would have it, my CSA delivered my first crop of asparagus this week.

Alterations: I brushed my squash with a bit of chile-infused oil to give it a little heat. I used dried thyme instead of fresh and added some lemon pepper seasoning as I thought the flavors needed to be punched up a bit more. I also forgot to put the nuts in and threw in some smoked prosciutto bits based on a commenter on the blog. I used a Meyer lemon from my tree.

Do-again?: This definitely tasted like spring and I actually preferred it reheated the next day because it crisped the asparagus up more.

Caprese Soup

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:47:12 -0400

After a week of road trip, it felt necessary to eat a bit lighter. We declared it soup and salad week. First up on the agenda, Caprese Soup, inspired by Domestic Fits.

Alterations: I roasted 2.5 pounds of tomatoes and substituted a bit of 2% milk and a tablespoon of greek yogurt instead of the cream. I had the balsamic glaze but I forgot to drizzle it on!

Do-again?: My boyfriend said this tasted like pasta sauce, which was a good thing. I added a little balsamic drizzle on the leftovers and it really brought it up a notch!

Garlic Chicken Butternut Squash Lasagna

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 06:00:52 -0400

I could eat butternut squash in pretty much any preparation and be happy, but butternut squash ravioli with sage and brown butter has to be one of my favorite. I have to admit - PaleOMG’s Garlic Chicken Butternut Squash Lasagna didn’t even make me miss the pasta.

Alterations: I used my mandoline to get the butternut squash as thin as possible and made several layers in an 8x8 baking dish.

Do-again?: The combination of flavors is just so good - the coconut/tomato combo gave it kind of an Indian profile which we just loved.

Chicken Fajita Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 06:00:50 -0400

We wanted to make a simple casual yet Californian feeling dinner as a send-off when my boyfriend’s parents were in town. We’d been eating out most of the week, so something on the lighter side was definitely in order. We took inspiration from Tasty Chicken’s recipe for Chicken Fajita Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette and also made some guacamole on the side.

Alterations: Since we didn’t have enough time to properly marinate, we cheated and used a pollo asado mix from Trader Joe’s. We used a grill pan to char the chicken, peppers and onions.

Do-again?: This hit the spot. The dressing was tart and refreshing and went well with the chicken and peppers. We would definitely make this again.

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli with Red Chile, Cilantro and Citrus

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:33:37 -0400

You know you’ve done something right when you bring a dish to a potluck and everyone asks for the recipe. It’s even more special when that dish is a vegetable side! Thanks to REMCooks for the recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Red Chile, Cilantro and Lime - you made me look good!

Alterations: Per the suggestion later in the post, I used a combination of broccoli and cauliflower. I used ancho chile powder and used some homegrown lemons instead of limes.

Do-again?: Yes, yes, yes. My boyfriend didn’t want me to leave home with this dish so he could keep it all for himself. This will go into the rotation again soon.

Bacon, Kale and Fennel Frittata with a Sweet Potato Crust

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:23:43 -0400

You know that Portlandia skit where they solve everything by putting a bird on it? I think my new philosophy on putting together a delicious sink meal is to “put an egg on it.” I had some odds and ends in my fridge - a small fennel bulb, half a bunch of kale and a few slices of bacon. The Kitchenista Diaries inspired me to bring them all together and add a sweet potato (which I also had on hand) to make this Bacon, Kale and Fennel Frittata with Sweet Potato Crust.

Alterations: I used olive oil instead of butter and cut my sweet potato slices a bit thicker.

Do-Again?: Absolutely. I love a one-dish meal. Especially one that feeds me for multiple meals. This was equally delicious cold for breakfast the next day.

Paleo Chicken Saag

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 06:00:53 -0500

I go through periods where all I want to do is eat Indian food. The good thing is that during my Paleo phase, I can still totally eat a lot of Indian food - just have to ditch the basmati and naan… and the dal and the paneer. This just means I can get creative. I adapted Taste.com’s recipe for Chicken Saag to meet my craving.

Alterations: I used ghee instead of regular butter, omitted the sugar and used a few tablespoons of coconut cream instead of yogurt. For the meat, I used about a half pound of chicken breast tenders.

Do-again?: This was really easy, smelled great while it was coming together and really tasty. I might use a bit more pepper next time to bring up the heat level a bit more.

BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potato

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:19:54 -0500

I was looking for an easy meal that could use up the remaining slow cooked pork roast. I took inspiration from The Novice Chef Blog’s Pulled Pork Sweet Potato.

Alterations: Since I already had some cooked pork, I just mixed it with some BBQ sauce.

Do-again?: The flavors went together so well and this was really satisfying. I would definitely make this again and I didn’t miss the bun from my usual pulled pork sandwich!

Seared Mexican Ahi Tuna with Sweet Red Peppers and Avocado Salsa

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:19:32 -0500

For Valentine’s Day, I almost did the expected steak and lobster… since technically that would have been A-OK for Paleo. But I thought we might miss the drawn butter. And I figured this was a chance to try something different. EatDrinkPaleo has a ton of gorgeous looking recipes. I settled on the Seared Mexican Tuna Steak with Sweet Red Peppers and Avocado Salsa.

Alterations: Followed as directed, using a bacon avocado from my CSA and a couple of tuna steaks from the fresh section at Trader Joe’s (which were $7/lb cheaper than the ones at Whole Foods).

Do-again?: This was very tasty, though next time I’d cook the tuna a little less so that it was a bit more pink in the middle. This definitely satisfied and my boyfriend said it looked like a “restaurant dish.”

Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Leeks and Carrots

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:17:09 -0500

Now that my Paleo challenge is in full effect, I am on the hunt for new recipes. Inspired by a bunch of leeks and carrots from my CSA, I set out to find a meal to utilize both accompanied by some sort of protein. My carrots were a little wilted so I knew I wanted to do something that required either roasting or slow cooking, which made the Daily Herald’s recipe for Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Leeks and Carrots a good fit.

Alterations: The best deal on organic pork from my local shop was on pork butt, so I substituted that for the shoulder roast and also cut back my portion to a 3 lb cut. I also eliminated the potatoes since they’re not paleo friendly. I let this cook for about 7 hours in the slow cooker on low.

Do-again?: The mustard spice blend was god but the resulting dish/broth ended up being a bit on the oily side. We loved the “melted” leeks and carrots and the meat was very tender, though I preferred it when I shredded it outside the broth.

Paneer Tikka Masala

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:32:00 -0500

For our last pre-Paleo meal before Lent began, I decided to make some homemade paneer cheese using my new cheesemaking kit that my boyfriend got me for Christmas. And because I could die happy drowning in tikka masala sauce, I followed the Paneer Tikka Masala recipe from Spice Up the Curry. This meal was a perfect “see ya later” to dairy and rice.

Alterations: I used yellow pepper instead of green pepper but otherwise followed the recipe closely.

Do-again?: This was delicious. We ate too much of this because we knew we couldn’t save it for the next day. It was literally sad putting the leftovers into the garbage so we wouldn’t be tempted to eat them once our Paleo challenge began. But yes, I will revisit this recipe. And next time, I’ll let my paneer firm up a bit longer (though it was still delicious even though it was a little crumbly).

Cilantro Noodle Bowl with Romanesco

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:41:30 -0500

Every year we challenge ourselves to give something up for Lent. This year we decided to go Paleo. That meant this last week was filled with opportunities to eat all the grains and legumes we would be missing for the next 40 odd days. My CSA box this week included a beautiful fractal vegetable - the romanesco. I first spotted these unusual vegetables at the Campo di Fiori market in Rome and was excited to use one. Since 101 Cookbooks has never led me astray, I decided to try Heidi’s recipe for a Cilantro Noodle Bowl.

Alterations: Made as directed.

Do-again?: This was very fresh tasting and the method for cooking the tofu was awesome - tasted fried but used no oil!

Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta and Arugula

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:08:45 -0500

Since I’m challenging myself to go on a Paleo diet for Lent this year, I figured I better get my rice and pasta in while I can. The lingering remnants of my CSA box included leeks and a butternut squash. I got this idea in my head to do a leek and pancetta risotto… and then I stumbled onto this recipe from the Bojon Gourmet for Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta. The recipe called for onions, but I decided to use leeks instead.

Alterations: As I already mentioned, I subbed leeks for onions. I also only had a little bit of goat cheese on hand, so I opted to stir in some mascarpone at the end. I didn’t make my own chicken broth but I did use a box of broth and simmered it down with the squash guts and some herbs to give it better flavor. My pancetta bits are a little smaller because I used a package of the pre-diced kind from Trader Joe’s. They ended up kinda like fancy baco-bits.

Do-again?: I thought this dish was visually stunning and looked like something you would get at a restaurant. Luckily, it also tasted good. The only downfall, it made a lot - which would be fine if we had guests over, but reheated risotto is never as good as the first time… not the worst problem though, we’ll still eat the leftovers.

Rainbow Chard and Roasted Beet Pasta

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:07:22 -0500

When I got beets and chard in my CSA this week, I was originally going to make a Warm Winter Salad with a Brown Butter Vinaigrette… but I didn’t read the recipe very closely and discarded my beet greens and neglected to get fresh mint and shallots at the market. I’m all about making alterations, but that seemed like too many at once for a recipe I’d never tried. Since I already had roasted my beets, I went looking for recipes that included roasted beets and chard that didn’t require me to go to the store. Luckily I came across Poor Girl Eats Well’s recipe for Roasted Beet and Chard Fettuccine.

Alterations: I used half a yellow onion instead of a red one and added a little agave to the dressing as it seemed a little too tart. I also substituted another variety of pasta and added some crumbled goat cheese at the end.

Do-again?: This colorful pasta dish isn’t your standard flavor but it was quite delicious. I particularly liked the garlicky greens. The mustard dressing played well off of the sweet beets.

Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:30:40 -0500

While I love organic carrots, I do notice that they tend to go limp faster than the perfectly shaped nubs from the grocery store. This means, when I get them in my CSA box, I feel pressured to use them as quickly as possible. After a few days of beautiful 80 degree weather, LA remembered that it’s actually winter and turned grey and rainy, which is why LovesVeggiesandYoga’s recipe for Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Peanut Soup fit the bill.

Alterations: After blending and tasting the soup, I thought it needed a little kick so I added some red pepper flakes and dried thai basil and gave it a few more whirrs of the food processor. I forgot to add the agave/honey.

Do-again?: My boyfriend loved this soup as he loves anything with peanut butter in it. This was really easy to make - just roasted some veggies and dump a can of coconut milk into the food processor. Would love to try this with other veggie combos.