Soba Noodle Salad with Miso Roasted Nectarines

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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This recipe comes to you courtesy of my friend Carly. She sent it to me the other day via email with the subject line: “think you will love this.”

She was right. I love soba noodle salads, and this one is the perfect amount of sweet and savory. The miso and tahini dressing adds some tang, and the bell peppers give it a little crunch. It’s everything you need in a bowl…minus ice cream.

Let’s talk about the dressing for a second, though. Whoa. That’s all I can say. During my first year in D.C., Carly told me that she could eat the hummus I made for my birthday dinner on an ice cream cone. That’s how I feel about this dressing. I was eating it off the spoon, which feels weird to admit here but also liberating.

I had a moment the other day when I remembered that I have an iTunes library. I haven’t downloaded songs there since 2013, because when I moved to D.C. I became a Spotify convert. It was fun rediscovering songs that I used to listen to all the time. Here’s one of them.

Soba Noodle Salad with Miso Roasted Nectarines (slightly adapted from Citrus Tree Kitchen)

Ingredients

for the noodles:
1 tablespoon mild yellow miso paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 ½ teaspoons honey
2 nectarines (about 10oz), cut into ¼ in. wedges
2 bundles soba noodles (5 ½ oz, uncooked)
½ cup baby bell peppers, sliced into rounds or if using regular bell peppers sliced thin
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
½ cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems, loosely packed

for the tahini miso dressing:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon mild yellow miso paste
1 ½ teaspoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, whisk miso paste, sesame oil and honey. Add nectarines to bowl and toss to coat well. Transfer nectarines to baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes or until soft (not mushy!) and slightly caramelized.

Cook soba noodles according to package directions and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and set aside.

To make the tahini miso dressing, whisk all ingredients except the water until fully incorporated. Slowly add the water and whisk until smooth. Add more water if needed 1 tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust to your liking. You can also add all ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously.

In a large bowl, toss soba noodles with roasted nectarines, peppers, sesame seeds, cilantro, and dressing.

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Cauliflower Kale Quinoa Cakes with Lemon Crème Fraîche

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I used to make quinoa cakes with poached egg all the time for dinner when I lived at home. Tonight, I decided to bring back an old tradition with a new twist.

I added cauliflower into the mix, and I threw in some kale and cilantro that I had left in the fridge. I also put in a tablespoon of cumin, which seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. You’ll be happy that you did that later once you add the lemon crème fraîche.

The cool cream takes the spicy flavor down a notch and also brings out the kale and cilantro. I’m thinking about making the crème fraîche again, but this time dipping cumin-spiced sweet potato fries into it. As the French would say, mon. dieu.

On a semi-unrelated note, I just started watching the new Netflix series “Stranger Things,” and I’m addicted. I’m almost done and I’m trying to avoid social media in the meantime, because there are spoilers everywhere.

The show has a great soundtrack and this song features heavily. It made me remember The Clash…what a throwback.

Cauliflower Quinoa Kale Cakes (from me, to you)

Ingredients

for cakes:
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 leek, sliced thin
1/2 cup kale leaves
handful of cilantro
1 tbsp cumin powder
zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
sea salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
sliced avocado for serving

for lemon crème fraîche:
1/4 cup crème fraîche
juice of half a lemon

Directions

Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor on high until they’re in little pieces. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Reduce heat and add the cauliflower and leeks. Season with salt and pepper and saute until light brown. Add in the kale leaves and saute them with the leek and cauliflower until they’re bright green.

Mix the cooled quinoa, cauliflower/leek/kale mixture, cumin powder, cilantro and lemon zest in a big bowl. Then, mix in the two eggs and season with more salt and pepper.

Heat some more olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Reduce heat and start frying the cakes, about 1/4 cup at a time. I like to make the cakes by taking some of the mixture into the palm of one hand and packing it with the other hand to form small patties.

For the lemon crème fraîche, mix the cream with the juice of half a lemon in a small bowl.

Serve the cakes warm with crème fraîche, more cilantro and sliced avocado. Enjoy!

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No-Cook Recipes: The Simplest Tomato Salad

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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What if I told you that you could make one of the best dishes you’ve ever eaten with only five ingredients? Oh wait, I’m about to.

I read recently that Thomas Keller (the mastermind chef behind The French Laundry) likes to make spontaneous salads. So today, I decided to challenge myself at the farmers’ market and make one of my own.

The heirloom tomatoes were looking mighty fine, and I’d been wanting to try lemon cucumbers since I saw them at the market last week. I started panicking because two vegetables didn’t seem like much of a salad.

Then, I had a flashback. I used to live down the street from a farm when I was little, and sometimes I would bike over and get vegetables. I didn’t know that a tomato could taste like anything but water until I had one from the farm.

One time, the farmer sold me some zucchini and said, “do you know the best way to cook this?” I shook my head. He said, “olive oil, a little salt and pepper. That’s all it needs.”

That lesson has stayed with me. Now, whenever I think about complicating a dish, I remember the wise farmer’s words.

To make this salad, find three of the best heirloom tomatoes in the bunch. The more vibrant the color, the better they probably are. Thinly slice some lemon cucumbers and layer them with the tomatoes. Sprinkle on some olive oil, sea salt and pepper, and prepare to be amazed.

This song has been stuck in my head for the last 48 hours. Maybe putting it here will help.

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, No-Cook Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mango Banana Smoothie Bowl

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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It’s been a while since I’ve talked to you about smoothie bowls. Honestly, I didn’t want to go overboard. I usually make bowls every morning for breakfast and put a picture on my Instagram, but I like to post a variety of recipes here.

This bowl deserves some face time, though. I kept seeing pictures on Instagram and other food blogs of flowers on smoothie bowls, and it was driving me crazy. I wanted to create one of my own, but I didn’t know where to find fresh flowers (short of picking them off hedges in downtown D.C.).

Then I went to the farmers’ market a couple weeks ago and saw a small box of nasturtium. They were fresh and vibrant, and almost immediately, I had a smoothie bowl vision.

I made this bowl the next morning. It has a mango and banana base and is topped with flowers, toasted coconut flakes and some really good pistachio granola that I’ve been into lately. The bowl tasted as good as it looked.

I’m still on the lookout for more flowers…maybe I’ll make another foray into lavender smoothie bowls soon.

In the meantime, here’s a good song. And the smoothie bowl recipe in case you’re feeling inspired:

Mango Banana Smoothie Bowl (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1 cup frozen mango chunks
1 banana
1/2 cup almond milk, or more if the base is too thick
nasturtium, toasted coconut flakes and granola for topping

Directions

Blend the frozen mango, banana and almond milk together in a blender on high until smooth. Top with the nasturtium, toasted coconut flakes and granola. Enjoy!

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Skillet Cornbread and Stewed Okra

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I had a hankering to make some cornbread. So tonight, I finally did.

Tensions ran high, let me tell you. I like making things in my cast-iron skillet, but I’ve had some memorable disasters. The time I tried to make apricot cake and the cake stuck to the skillet and the berries burst all over the oven, for example. That was a little traumatic.

Luckily, everything went well this time around. The secret to making this cornbread is buttering the skillet before you pour in the batter. You let two tablespoons of butter melt in the skillet over medium heat, and then you turn it off let the pan sit on the burner. By the time you add the other ingredients, the butter has cooled and created the perfect non-stick coating. Genius.

As for the okra…that was an impulse decision. The okra looked so good at the farmers’ market last weekend, I decided to buy it and figure out what to make with it later.

The stewed okra is kind of like bhindi masala (one of my favorite Indian foods), so I kept the same principles in mind while cooking it. My Indian friend in grad school taught me to never over stir the okra because it will start becoming slimy. So words to the wise: Treat your okra with care.

When I put the okra and cornbread together and ate my first bite, I felt like saying, yeehaw! But then I wasn’t sure if that was culturally appropriate so I didn’t say anything.

Here’s a good skillet cornbread, okra-making song. When it came up on my playlist I had no idea how it got there, because I don’t usually listen to much country music. But I still liked it.
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Skillet Cornbread and Stewed Okra (cornbread from Mark Bittman, Stewed Okra slightly adapted from here)

Ingredients

for the cornbread:
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, milk, or yogurt (or 11/4 cups milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar; see Step 2), plus more as needed
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
11/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more if you like sweet corn bread
1 egg

for the okra:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups sliced okra
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

for the cornbread:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

If you’re using buttermilk, milk, or yogurt, ignore this step. If not, make the soured milk:

Warm the milk gently—1 minute in the microwave is sufficient, just enough to take the chill off—and add the vinegar. Let it rest while you prepare the other ingredients.

Put the butter in a medium ovenproof skillet or an 8-inch square baking pan over medium heat; heat until good and hot, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the egg into the buttermilk. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients (just enough to combine); if it seems too dry, add another tablespoon or two of buttermilk. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet or pan, smooth out the top if necessary, and put in the oven.

Bake about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the sides have pulled away from the pan; a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Serve hot or warm.

for the okra:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant.

Add the okra and tomatoes, making sure to add the reserved juice from the tomatoes to the saute pan. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.

Posted in Bread, Dinner, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

No-Cook Recipes: Strawberry Caprese Salad with Pesto

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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When I first saw this recipe, I knew it would lead to something good. I love making caprese salad during the summer and I liked the idea of subbing in strawberries. They’re juicy and sweet and pair well with the tangy basil and the salty mozzarella.

Two important notes about this dish: One, ingredients matter. I got fresh basil and mozzarella at the farmers’ market on Sunday and they were game-changers. I’m sure the dish would still taste good if you used the store brand mozzarella and don’t spend half your day at the market like I do. But if you have time and a little extra cash, spring for the good stuff.

Another important note is about the pesto. I’ve stopped using an exact recipe and I kind of just throw everything in a food processor and call it a day. I’ve tried to recreate a recipe for you below, though, because I know that not using a recipe is daunting for some people.

ANYWAY. Enjoy this salad. It’s easy, fresh, delicious and oddly comforting. Maybe I’m just suffering from minor heat stroke but either way, I think it’s worth making.

Here’s a tune to get you on your way.

Strawberry Caprese Salad (from me, to you)

Ingredients

for the pesto:
1 bunch fresh basil
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup-1 cup olive oil, or more depending on how thin you want the pesto
salt and pepper to taste

for the salad:
2 cups of strawberries, stems removed and sliced into rounds
2 balls of mozzarella, sliced relatively thin into rounds

Directions

Combine the ingredients for the pesto in a large food processor and pulse on high until smooth, adding extra olive oil if needed. Set aside.

Assemble the strawberries and mozzarella slices on a plate. Drizzle with pesto and top with some fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

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No-Cook Recipes: Heirloom Tomatoes with Savory Granola

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Stop whatever you’re doing, go buy two heirloom tomatoes and make this salad. Immediately.

That’s how confident I am that you’ll like it. This is the kind of salad that makes you think, “is this really this good? How? Why?” Don’t ask too many questions, though, and just embrace it.

I’m not going to lie to you: I saw the words “savory granola” in the original recipe and I was a little doubtful. I sprinkle sweet granola on my smoothie bowls every morning, but the idea of making a savory version kind of grossed me out.

Fortunately, this granola turned out to be the best I’ve ever made. Even though it’s “savory” for the purposes of this dish, I ended up eating a bowl of it with almond milk for dessert. You could eat the leftovers for breakfast or even sprinkle it on top of sweet toast as a snack. The options are endless.

So yeah. Make this salad. It’s perfect for summer nights when you don’t feel like cooking, or mid-day lunches when you want to escape oven-like temperatures.

Here’s a song to play while you wait for the granola to come out of the oven. It’s the perfect amount of distracting mixed with anticipation.

Heirloom Tomatoes with Savory Granola (slightly adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup light agave nectar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup salted roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup fresh ricotta (go for the good stuff; it makes a difference)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sunflower sprouts
three 12-ounce heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325° and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the oats with the agave, water, 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt until the oats are thoroughly coated. Spread the oats on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, stirring twice, until the granola is light golden. Stir in the pistachios and sunflower seeds and bake for about 10 minutes longer, until golden brown and dry. Let the granola cool on the baking sheet, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. In another medium bowl, toss the sunflower sprouts with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the tomato wedges in shallow bowls and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the ricotta around the tomatoes. Scatter the sprouts on top and sprinkle with some of the granola; save the remaining 
granola for another use. Serve right away.

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Avocado Dukkah Toast

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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When life gives you extra dukkah, make avocado dukkah toast.

I’m not joking–it’s really good. I told you earlier this week that I’d probably make it, and yesterday, I finally took the plunge. Avocado pairs well with almost anything (in my extremely biased opinion), but it goes especially well with dukkah.

I love the way the salty pistachios, spicy cumin and coriander and crunchy sesame seeds taste with the avocado. If you squeeze some lemon juice on the avocado before you mash it up, it only improves the flavors.

An important part of this dish is the bread (I just hit cap locks by accident, so that almost read: BREAD). I felt like I sold a little piece of my soul the other day when I bought a loaf from the “foodie” section of the bread aisle at Whole Foods. But honestly, it’s worth it. Good bread makes a huge difference for toast. It’s the foundation for everything that comes next.

In other news, I’ve been really into this series that my friend LeAnn introduced me to, Kitchen Vignettes. You should check it out. I like this song from the episode about making cornbread.

Avocado Dukkah Toast (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1 avocado, sliced and pitted
1/2 a lemon
pinch of salt
2 pieces of good bread
a handful of dukkah (recipe here)

Directions

Smash the avocado with the lemon and a pinch of salt. Toast the bread. Spread the avocado mixture on the toast and top with a generous handful of dukkah. Enjoy!

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One Pot Pasta

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I’ve been hearing about this one pot pasta from everyone. My friend Tanya told me about it a couple years ago, but for some reason, I never got around to making it. I think it’s probably because I didn’t have a real pasta pot until recently.

Now, I have a huge pasta pot, so I decided to make it for dinner last week.

Tanya was right: This is one of the easiest and most delicious dinners you can make. The only work involved is slicing cherry or grape tomatoes, chopping onions and boiling water. I don’t like chopping onions, but trust me: the payoff is worth it.

I think I’ve started a one-pot pasta revolution because my friend Steph just made it for dinner, too. Apparently her husband told her she should definitely make it again, so there’s another endorsement.

Something that Steph and I both found when we were making the pasta is that the water takes a while to evaporate. Steph said that she left her pot on the stove for a little too long as a result. I took mine off early when I saw the noodles were cooked through. You can always drain a little water out if you have to later.

Anyway, I would highly recommend making this pasta as soon as possible. Especially on nights when all you want to do is get into your pajamas, crawl into bed and watch new episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

We were having a 90s music power hour at the bakery the other day and this song came on. It’s also good to play while you’re chopping onions or waiting for water to evaporate.

One Pot Pasta (from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

12 ounces linguine
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 1/2 cups water
freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

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Cauliflower Dukkah Salad…and Blue

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Two important things happened to me recently: One, I met the love of my life. Two, I decided that I like cauliflower. Now, there’s no going back.

I was sitting at the dog park by my apartment yesterday afternoon and a little cocker spaniel ran up to me and started licking my face and biting my nose. Then, he wouldn’t leave my side. His owner came over and said that he’s never that affectionate with anyone. It was love at first sight.

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The dog (whose name is Blue) laid on my lap while I talked to his owner, Tim. Tim and his wife live in the neighborhood next to the park, and we talked about some of the local restaurants and France (because that always comes out within the first 5 minutes of my conversation with anyone). I hope I run into them both again soon.

In other news, I made a salad and realized that cauliflower is really, really good. I used to hate it when I was little because I thought it was bland and tasteless. When it’s steamed or raw, it kind of is.

But it’s not bland in this salad. I sautéed it in olive oil and then seasoned it with salt and pepper, and tossed it with lemon juice. It was citrusy, fresh and slightly smoky, and paired well with the sweet nectarine, avocado and tart mint.

Also, this dukkah…don’t even get me started. The blogger who made this recipe said that you would want to eat it with a spoon, and I had my doubts. I was wrong. I could eat the whole tupperware container right now, but I’m holding myself back. I’m going to use the leftovers on toast later this week.

ANYWAY. The moral of this story is that you never know when amazing things are going to happen to you. And that most foods, including cauliflower, can taste good if you cook them the right way.

This song has been popping up on my playlist a lot lately. Every time it comes on I start laughing because the lyrics are so clever.

Cauliflower Dukkah Salad (from The First Mess)

Ingredients

for the dukkah:
2 cups roasted & salted pistachios, shells removed (you should have about ¾ cup of nuts total)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (optional)
½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

for the salad:
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used a garlic olive oil, but that’s optional)
1 head of cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
juice of ½ a lemon, about 1 tablespoon
1-2 nectarines, pitted and sliced
1 small, ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
1 hearty sprig of mint, leaves thinly sliced
big handful of the dukkah

Directions

Make the dukkah: grind the shelled pistachios in either a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or a dry-blade blender pitcher. You want a chunky/chopped consistency with a few large bits of pistachio in the mix. Transfer the ground pistachios to a medium bowl. Grind the coriander and cumin seeds in a spice grinder and add them to the bowl with the pistachios. Add the sesame seeds, nigella seeds and chili flakes to the bowl as well. Stir to combine. Store dukkah in a sealable jar and set aside.

Make the cauliflower salad: heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the skillet. Add the cauliflower florets and spread them out in an even layer. Let the cauliflower florets sear for a good two minutes. Stir the cauliflower up and season it with salt and pepper. Cook until the cauliflower is just tender and evenly browned. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter. Top the cauliflower with the sliced nectarines, avocado, mint, and a hearty handful of the dukkah. Serve the cauliflower salad immediately.

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