RECIPE: Miso Garlic Eggplant

Difficulty Level: EASY

1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)

3 tablespoons yellow miso (soybean paste)

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 Japanese eggplants, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 1 pound)

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Arrange eggplant slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread mirin mixture evenly over the eggplant slices, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Broil 8 minutes or until topping is golden. Place eggplant slices on a platter, and sprinkle with onions.

RECIPE: Plum Tarts with Honey & Black Pepper

Difficulty Level: Easy

 Servings: 6

 Time: 10 minutes active, 40 minutes total

 

 Ingredients:

 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

 1 pound plums, apricots or peaches (or a combination), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

 1/4 cup sugar

 Freshly ground black pepper

 Flaky sea salt

 

 Instructions:

 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Cut pastry into 6 four-inch squares. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and prick all over with a fork (to keep from puffing up during baking).

 2. Top with fruit wedges, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with sugar; season with a few grinds of pepper.

 3. Bake tarts, rotating pan halfway through until edges of pastry are puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with salt just before serving.

 *Tarts can be baked 4 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature.

 

 

RECIPE: Risotto with Tomatoes and Corn

Difficulty Level: Intermediate
 

Ingredients

2  good-size ears sweet corn

7  cups well-seasoned vegetable stock or chicken stock

2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½  cup minced onion

  Salt to taste

2  garlic cloves, minced

1 ½  cups arborio rice

1  pound tomatoes, grated or peeled, seeded and diced

  Pinch of sugar

  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

½  cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc

2 to 3  tablespoons slivered fresh basil, or a mix of basil, chives, and parsley

¼ to ½  cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 to 2 ounces)

Preparation

1. Remove corn kernels from cobs and set aside the kernels. Simmer the cobs in stock for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from stock and discard. Make sure your stock is well seasoned. Bring back to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and rice and cook, stirring, until grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, a minute or two. Stir in tomatoes, sugar and salt to taste and cook, stirring, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Add wine and stir until it has evaporated and has been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. Stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir continually, but stir often and vigorously. After 10 minutes, add corn and continue for another 10 to 15 minutes. When rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy (al dente), in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning.

4. Add another ladleful of stock to rice. Stir in basil (or basil, parsley and chives) and Parmesan and remove from heat. The mix should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

RECIPE: Blueberry-Cucumber Smoothie

Difficulty level: Easy 

Blended cucumbers thicken a lightly sweet smoothie for a low-cal breakfast or a refreshing afternoon snack.

 

2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup frozen blueberries

1-2 Tbs honey or agave nectar

1 Tbs lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

RECIPE: Italian Kale Soup

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
2 medium carrots
1 medium zucchini 
1 can chopped tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
1 tbs butter or olive oil
1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
2 bay leafs
1 tsp of basil
1 tsp of oregano

 

1.     Prepare vegetables by dicing onions, pressing the garlic and chopping zucchini, carrots and kale into bite-sized portions

2.     In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown onions and garlic in butter or olive oil

3.     Once fragrant, add chopped carrots and zucchini

4.     Once the carrots and zucchini have had a chance to brown, add the stock, chopped tomatoes, Parmesan cheese rind (optional), kale and spices. The kale will seem like a lot, but do not worry, it cooks down

5.     Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.

 

 

RECIPE: Three Cheese Summer Tomato Tart

Difficulty Level: Easy

Servings: 4 as entree, 8 as appetizer

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs. finely chopped basil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parchment paper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lay out the tomato slices on paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and allow tomatoes to drain for approximately 30 minutes (this is crucial not to have a watery tart).

3. Meanwhile, remove the puff pastry from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.

4. Unfold the puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, pinching to close any holes in the seams. Using a fork, prick the dough all over to prevent it from puffing up during baking.

5. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the entire dough. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer over the cheeses. Season generously with salt & pepper. Sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan on top and garnish with chopped basil.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove the pastry from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into 9 squares & serve immediately.

 

 

RECIPE: Basic vinaigrette for the perfect summer salad

Difficulty level: Easy

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of sugar (or honey, brown sugar, agave...)

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Optional: minced garlic, shallot or fresh herbs. Substitute different vinegars or lemon juice. Add Parmesan or blue cheeses.

Combine ingredients and shake in a jar!