Pesto with Chicken and Tomatoes

My wife loves this recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 pint tomatoes (grape or cherry)

Olive oil
Salt and pepper

White wine

1 lb pasta like ziti or penne
Pesto

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or tin foil. Lightly coat with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until they start to burst and shrivel. 

Cook the pasta. 

Meanwhile, cube the chicken into smallish pieces. Season with salt and pepper and cook in olive oil over medium high heat until the cubes are browned all over. Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up all the chicken bits. 

Toss in the tomatoes, pasta and pesto and mix well. Serve immediately. 

Herbed Balsamic Roast Pork

Lindsey Johnson has created a great recipe. The pork came out tender, moist and the perfect amount of sweet. I let the roast cook longer so it shredded with a fork and didn't reduce the sauce. It was awesome for tacos. Don't worry if you don't have a slow cooker, you can use a Dutch oven too. 

Ingredients:

One, 3-5 pound pork roast (shoulder or loin are great)
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

Place pork roast in the slow cooker and top with the other ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the roast. (I put mine in frozen and it was done in 4 hours, but I left it for longer so it was more fall-apart tender*.)

Remove the cooked roast from the slow-cooker. Cover and keep warm. Pour the accumulated juices and vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it reduce by about half. Slice the roast and pour the sauce over the top and serve.

Note: If you let the roast cook even longer, it will shred easily with a fork and makes delicious sandwiches. Don’t reduce the liquid, it will be absorbed into the shredded meat. We’ve done both ways and like them equally. It’s a great thing to make when you’re having company for dinner.

Serves 6-10 depending on size of roast

Preparation time: 10min

Total time: 6hours including cooking time. May take less or more time depending on size of roast and slow cooker settings.

Pork Chops

I never ate pork chops as a kid. Recently, a couple friends and I bought a half of a pig so we have a bunch of cuts that I have never really thought about before. So I googled "how to make pork chops" and found this recipe. It was good and now I like pork chops. Next time, I would let the chops cook longer in the pan to sear and get more browned so they look more appetizing when done.

Ingredients

For the brine (optional):

3 cups cold water, divided
3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 2 1/2 tablespoons table salt)
Optional flavorings: 2 smashed garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf

For the pork chops:

2 to 4 pork chops — center cut, bone-on, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick (about 1 pound each)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

Brine the pork chops (optional): Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil, add the salt and optional flavorings, and stir to dissolve the salt. Add 2 more cups of cold water to bring the temperature of the brine down to room temperature. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and pour the brine over top. The brine should cover the chops — if not, add additional water and salt (1 cup water to 1 tablespoon salt) until the chops are submerged. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat the oven and skillet: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Place the skillet in the oven to preheat as well.

Remove the chops from the brine; if you didn't brine, remove the chops from their packaging. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set the chops aside to warm while the oven finishes heating.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and set it over medium-high heat on the stovetop.

Sear until the undersides of the chops are seared golden, 3 minutes.

Flip the chops and transfer the skillet to the oven.

Roast until the pork chops are cooked through and register 140°F to 145°F in the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer. Cooking time will be 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops, how cool they were at the start of cooking, and whether they were brined. Start checking the chops at 6 minutes and continue checking every minute or two until the chops are cooked through.

Rest the chops: Transfer the cooked pork chops to a plate and pour any pan juices over the top (or reserve for making a pan sauce or gravy). Tent loosely with foil and let the chops rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Risotto Cacio e Pepe

This recipe comes from Massimo Bottura via Saveur. The dish was wonderfully creamy and the risotto had a great texture. For some reason, I really wanted to add peas and I think an added garnish of freshly made bacon crumbles would also go very well with this recipe. With the right cheese this dish is special. 

With the right cheese... boy did I learn the hard way. We have always used Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano fairly interchangeably in my house for grating. And in small amounts they can have a very similar flavor profile. So I didn't really think twice about substituting Pecorino for the Parmigiano since my grocery store sells a very good Pecorino that I use all the time for grating as a garnish and as the cheese ingredient in Pesto. Well, that didn't turn out so well for this recipe. Pecorino is a sharper, saltier cheese emphasis on the salt, and for this recipe it was way too intense.

It was so intense that my wife and I were overwhelmed after eating about half a serving. After making this dish with Pecorino I re-read the article in Saveur, “The broth is slowly stirred into the risotto, taking the place of chicken stock, while the cream is added toward the end of cooking, giving the risotto a luxurious texture and little need for any additional salt.”

If for some reason you cannot get Parmigiano Reggiano and only have Pecorino, then I would make either a half batch of cheese broth and make up the rest with chicken broth/water or make a double batch of risotto (4 cups of rice) by making the regular amount of broth and adding 6 cups of water. That should dilute the Pecorino broth correctly for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PARMESAN BROTH:

2 lbs. Parmigiano Reggiano, coarsely grated

FOR THE RISOTTO:

6 cups parmesan broth
⅓ cup parmesan cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parsley leaves, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the parmesan broth: Combine parmesan and 8½ cups water in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-low. When the cheese becomes stringy, remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature, and repeat heating once more. Refrigerate broth 8 hours or overnight. The next day, the broth should have separated into 3 distinct layers: a cream layer, on top; a broth layer, in the middle; and solids, on the bottom. Carefully remove the top cream layer and reserve. Strain the broth, discarding remaining solids (bottom layer).

2. Make the risotto: Heat broth in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat; set aside and keep warm. Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic to saucepan; cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add rice; cook 2 minutes. Add reserved stock ½ cup at a time, cooking until each addition is absorbed before adding more. Cook, stirring often, until rice is tender and creamy, about 20-22 minutes. Stir in parmesan cream and cracked pepper; garnish with parsley leaves.

Leek and White Bean Gratin

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. I think this would be a good holiday dish. It's cheesy and uses a vegetable that most people don't eat except for during the holidays. ;) Really though it's a good dish and pretty easy to make.

4 medium leeks, dark green tops discarded, white and light green parts halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. Brush the leeks with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place cut side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes until tender. Uncover and continue roasting the leeks for 10 minutes until caramelized. Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop and set aside.

Clean out the baking dish and spray with vegetable oil spray.

In a large bowl, toss the roasted leeks with the cannellini beans, garlic, lemon zest, chicken broth and 1/4 cup parsley and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the leek-and-bean mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the Gruyère cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until bubbly around the edges and browned on top. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Bean Soup with Rice and Tomatoes

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit. I love soup and I love winter because I get to eat soup. I could not get skinless fava beans (hipsters you know who you are) or lima beans at my local super market, so I substituted navy beans. They were very tasty. If substituting dried navy beans that have been soaked overnight, cook them for 40 mins before adding the rice. Pepitas make a good substitute for the so-expensive-I-have-to-sell-my-child pistachios.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium onions, peeled, quartered
4 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 14.5-oz. can crushed tomatoes
8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
8 oz. dried skinless fava or lima beans (about 1½ cups)
¼ cup short-grain brown rice
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
⅓ cup chopped unsalted, roasted pistachios

PREPARATION

Process onions and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add cumin, coriander, and allspice and cook, stirring often, until onions start to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until mixture is jammy, about 5 minutes.

Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Add beans, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes. Add rice and simmer, partially covered, until rice and beans are soft, 30–35 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Top soup with yogurt and pistachios just before serving.

DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 5 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Jane Coxwell contributed this recipe to Food and Wine and she deserves some definite props. I loved the cinnamon vibe. I think you could use corn tortillas instead just fine.

10 cups water
One 3 1/2-pound chicken
3 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 medium carrot, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small cinnamon stick
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
Salt
Pepper
2 small flour tortillas, halved
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a saucepan, combine the water, chicken, tomatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and the 1/2 cup of cilantro. Add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat for 30 minutes, skimming as necessary. Discard the cinnamon stick and continue simmering until the chicken is cooked through, 30 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, toast the tortillas over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp in spots, 3 minutes. Cut the tortillas into thin strips.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Shred the meat; discard the skin and bones. Return the chicken to the saucepan and reheat the soup. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the tortilla strips and cilantro and serve.

Pasta with Cauliflower and Peas

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. I like cauliflower and I like Indian food. So this recipe makes sense to me. The orecchiette are a good pasta to use to get little "spoonfuls" of sauce with each bite. Shells would work as well. I learned that my wife doesn't like peas, but oh well, more for me. :)

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, cut into thin slices
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes (one 16-ounce can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen petit peas
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 pound orecchiette

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes longer.

Add the cauliflower to the onion mixture; stir to coat. Add the water, bring to a simmer, cover, and steam for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the peas and cilantro and cook until the cauliflower is tender and the peas are hot, about 2 minutes longer.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orecchiette until just done, about 15 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce.

Triple Garlic Linguine

This recipe comes from Saveur magazine. Great recipe! I love garlic and this does not disappoint. It's also interesting how the garlic is not overwhelming. Raw garlic can have a real sharp and bitter edge to it but I think the fact that it's all cooked and the most obvious pieces are the soft baked pieces from the oven really tempers that sharpness.

I tried this recipe with gluten free spaghetti and it almost failed horrendously. (I know I'm a glutton for punishment. It was similar to the Arroz con Pollo brown rice fiasco, but I was able to salvage it.) Rice based gluten free pasta does not absorb liquid like typical semolina pasta. Who knew? So, while I'm cooking the liquid is boiling off and the starches in the pasta are expressing out making a big gloopy mess and the pasta is not getting cooked enough either. So I had to keep adding liquid to keep everything cooking but wasted the chicken broth because the pasta is not absorbing it. To save the dish, I added enough liquid to cook the pasta and then drained it but didn't rinse it per the gluten free pasta directions. Then I added some chicken broth to get a little liquid to mix with the cheese. By doing that, I ended up with the creamy/cheesy "chickeny" flavor base of the original recipe.

Basically, I figured out that if I had used 8 cups of water to cook the pasta and then added some chicken broth at the end to give it that flavor, you get a pretty close facsimile of the original recipe with rice based gluten free pasta.

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 head garlic, plus 10 cloves (7 thinly sliced, 3 minced)
1 cup olive oil
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
12 oz. linguine
4½ cups chicken stock
½ cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
Kosher salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 350°. Slice garlic head in half crosswise and set cut side up on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. oil and 2 tbsp. cold water; wrap into a tight package. Bake until tender, 1–1½ hours.

1. Heat remaining oil and the sliced garlic in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium; cook until garlic is golden, 4–6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic chips to paper towels to drain; set ⅓ cup oil aside. Reserve remaining oil for another use, if you like.

2. Heat reserved ⅓ cup oil, the minced garlic, and chile flakes in a 14" high-sided skillet over medium. Cook until garlic is soft but not golden, 2–3 minutes. Add pasta and stock; bring to a boil. Cook, using tongs to stir pasta occasionally, until liquid is almost evaporated and pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes. Unwrap roasted garlic and squeeze cloves into pasta. Add parmesan, lemon juice, parsley, and salt; toss to combine. Garnish with reserved garlic chips.

Fennel Orzo Salad

Heidi Swanson contributed this recipe to Food and Wine. I loved this recipe. The orzo and fennel and everything was just yummy. It was great to have for lunch and you can add small feta cubes for a different vibe just to mix things up.

I substituted bread crumbs for the bread and used a food processor because I don't have a large enough mortar and pestle.

8 ounces orzo (1 1/2 cups), preferably whole-wheat
One 4-by-4-inch, 1-inch-thick slice of country bread, crust removed and bread cubed
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 garlic clove
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roasted almonds, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
Fronds from 1 leafy fennel bulb (1/2 cup), finely chopped (see Note)
10 pitted black olives, such as kalamata, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head of radicchio—halved, cored and shredded (4 cups)

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the bread in the vinegar. In a small skillet, toast the coriander seeds, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a mortar. Add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pound with a pestle until a paste forms. One at a time, pound in the capers, almonds, scallions, fennel fronds and olives, until the mixture is chunky.

Pound in the soaked bread, then pound in the olive oil, 2 tablespoons at a time.

Add the dressing and radicchio to the orzo, season with salt and toss well.

NOTES You can finely chop the fennel bulb and add it to the orzo as well, if desired.

Orzo with Caramelized Onions and Raisins

Danny Seo contributed this recipe to Food and Wine. I finally found gluten free orzo! DeLallo makes the orzo and it's really, really good. That's the one thing that is most frustrating about gluten free pasta, there is a very limited selection of shapes. Now that I have gluten free orzo, I have the 3 main areas covered: short pastas like penne or ziti, long pastas like spaghetti and linguine, and soup pastas like ditalini or orzo.

My wife thinks that I should have left out the raisins, but I liked them. It reminded me of couscous.

12 ounces orzo (2 cups)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
Kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cover the raisins with warm water and let stand until softened, 10 minutes. Drain the orzo and rinse under cold water. Drain the raisins and transfer them to a large bowl with the orzo.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the onion to the orzo along with the olives, cheese and parsley and stir. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Arroz con Pollo

José Andrés contributed this recipe to Food and Wine. Ugh what a mess I made. I tried to make this recipe with brown rice and it was a ginormous failure. Otherwise, my wife and child and I all really liked the flavor. My boy loves chicken and this was good chicken. The brown rice, not so much. ;)

3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sweet pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
1/2 pound oyster or cremini mushrooms, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups water
1 cup Bomba or Calasparra rice
Small pinch of saffron threads
Hot sauce, for serving

Working over a bowl, grate the cut side of the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater; discard the skins.

In a very large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet skin side down and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides; transfer the chicken to a plate.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the onion and green pepper, season with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and pimentón and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook over moderately high heat until they start to soften, 3 minutes.

Add the water to the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, saffron and a generous pinch of salt and return to a boil. Nestle the chicken in the rice and cook over moderately low heat, without stirring, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Season the dish with salt and pepper and serve with hot sauce.

Braised Vegetables in Olive Oil

Lesley Porcelli contributed this recipe to Saveur. I definitely like the flavors of this recipe but I think it could use some help because the bottom layers of vegetables got too burnt and it just seemed like they were wasted. It certainly can be that my Dutch oven gets too hot and I just haven't learned how to regulate it, but I think doing things in the following way would be better.

1. Put 1/2 c olive oil, anchovy paste, chile flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, and lemon slices in a 6-qt. Dutch oven. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the garlic and the lemon slices are lightly browned, up to 5 minutes, but make sure they don't burn. 

2. Reserve everything to a small bowl. Do not wipe out the Dutch oven. Add the remaining 1/2 c oil and let it heat up. 

3. Add the zucchini in a single layer and cook, without stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the zucchini, and cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Add the potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower to the pot and stir to coat in oil. Cook, covered, without stirring, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften, about 30 minutes. Make sure to adjust the heat so things don't char. At 15 minutes add the reserved items from Steps 1-2. Stir vegetables gently to let the oil seep down over the layers and continue to cook without stirring for another 15 minutes.

 5. Stir vegetables gently, replace the lid, and reduce the heat to as low as necessary so the vegetables can cook until they are very soft and tender without burning, up to 60 minutes more.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. anchovy paste
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
6 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife
6 sprigs rosemary
1 lemon, ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise, seeds removed
1 large zucchini, cut diagonally into 1½″-long pieces
1 lb. baby Yukon Gold or new potatoes
1 medium head broccoli, cut into florets, stalk cut into large pieces
½ medium head cauliflower, cut into florets, stalk cut into large pieces
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
2 sprigs marjoram, stems removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the olive oil, anchovy paste, chile flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, and lemon slices in a 6-qt. Dutch oven. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the garlic and the lemon slices are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the zucchini in a single layer and cook, without stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the zucchini, and cook for 5 minutes more.

3. Add the potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower to the pot and stir once or twice to coat in oil. Cook, covered, without stirring, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften, about 30 minutes.

4. Stir vegetables gently, replace the lid, and reduce the heat to medium-low; cook until the vegetables are very soft and tender, about 60 minutes more.

5. Remove the vegetables from the heat, and stir in parsley and marjoram. Season with salt and pepper.

Ma's Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style)

This is my mother's recipe. :)

6 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup or more of olive oil
Flour
Salt pepper
4-6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 yellow onion sliced thinly
6-8 small red and yellow peppers
1/2 to 3/4 cup red wine
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon of gravy master (optional)
1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms
Fresh basil, cut into ribbons
Fresh oregano, chopped
Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Chicken broth or water

Season the flour with salt and pepper and then dredge the chicken in the flour; shake off the excess.

Brown the chicken in the olive oil slowly on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Now add garlic, onions, peppers and mushrooms to pan, cook and stir up the drippings for about 5-6 minutes until they are softened. Add back the chicken.

Combine the tomatoes, gravy master, wine, spices and add to the pan. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30-35 minutes, turning once. Check the liquid level, if too dry add small amounts of water or chicken broth to keep liquid covering the chick and veg. Adjust salt if needed. Can be served over pasta or rice. Garnish with parsley.

Tabbouleh

Making this recipe was a bit odd because the version that I read in Saveur magazine was slightly different than the version I was able to find online at saveur.com. Ultimately I did a mash-up of the 2 recipes and it worked out. :) My wife didn't like the cinnamon and allspice and I think the recipe would be good without it as well. I happen to like that spice undercurrent. If you leave out the spices, I would use less of the pomegranate molasses so the dish is not too sweet.

The pomegranate molasses is pretty easy to make. 4 c pomegranate juice to 1/2 c sugar and 1 T lemon juice. Mix together and dissolve the sugar over moderate heat. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower heat to a low simmer and cook for 45 mins till it reduces to a syrup.

SERVES 4-6

Magazine version

3 c packed parsley rough chopped
1 ½ c packed mint rough chopped
½ c olive oil
½ c lemon juice
1 T pomegranate molasses
½ t allspice
½ t cinnamon
4 tomatoes minced
1 medium red onion minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Online version

3 tbsp. fine bulgur
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and minced
3 ½ cups minced flat-leaf parsley
1 ¼ cups minced mint leaves
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mash-up

1/2 c quinoa (gluten free bulgar replacement)

3 c packed parsley rough chopped
1 ½ c packed mint rough chopped
½ c olive oil
½ c lemon juice
1 T pomegranate molasses
½ t allspice
½ t cinnamon

1 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine bulgur and ½ cup warm water in a bowl and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain bulgur, rinse thoroughly, and transfer to a large bowl along with remaining ingredients. Toss to combine; serve immediately. (mag version - let sit 10 minutes before serving)

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

This recipe comes from Maria De Cesare and Romano Gordini in Food and Wine magazine. It's very similar to another dish that I posted not too long ago - Pasta with Guanciale, Tomatoe, and Chile. This one is more acidic since it has the wine and vinegar, but just as good in its own way. I up the amounts to make this for 1 lb of pasta by using 26-28 oz tomatoes and 2 1/2 T wine and vinegar.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 pound guanciale or pancetta, cut into 1/2-by- 1/4-inch strips
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine
One 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, crushed
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
10 ounces bucatini
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat until very soft, 7 minutes. Add the guanciale and cook until translucent, 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, wine, tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of water and simmer until thick, 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the bucatini until al dente; reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce along with the reserved cooking water and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of cheese. Serve right away, passing more cheese at the table.

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

Ylenia Sambati contributed this recipe to Food and Wine and it's a winner. As I said to my wife, "This is real Italian food." From the Puglia region (south eastern Italy), the simplicity of the dish highlights the contrasting notes of bitter broccoli and salty anchovies. The dish is reminiscent of many other southern Italian dishes like Aglio e Olio and Linguine alle Vongole. 

While a short pasta like orecchiette (little ears) or conchiglie (shells) is better, long pastas like spaghetti or linguine can be used.

2 pounds broccoli rabe, trimmed
1 pound orecchiette
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
6 anchovies in oil, drained and finely chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the broccoli rabe until just tender, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the broccoli rabe to a work surface and let cool slightly, then coarsely chop.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli rabe, pasta and reserved cooking water, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, until hot, about 2 minutes. Serve right away.

Zucchini Latkes

This recipe comes from Einat Admony via Bon Appetit. I really like latkes which are small grated potato pancakes. I know them from the Jewish tradition but people from many parts of Europe (mostly central and eastern) make versions of them. This is a new version of the classic. I imagine cooking them in schmaltz (chicken fat) would make them even better.

3 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
1 medium onion, coarsely grated
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more
1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 1½ cups)
Roasted Red Pepper Labneh

Mix zucchini, onion, and 1 tablespoons salt in a medium bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then wring out as much liquid as possible from zucchini and onion in a kitchen towel. Mix with leek, egg, panko, cilantro, and thyme in a clean medium bowl; season with pepper.

Pour oil into a large skillet, preferably cast iron, to a depth of 1/2" and heat over medium heat until oil bubbles when a pinch of zucchini mixture is added.

Working in batches, drop spoonfuls of zucchini mixture into skillet and gently flatten with a spatula into 2" patties. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; season with salt. Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Labneh.

DO AHEAD: Patties can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep warm in a 300 ° oven until ready to serve.

Pasta with Guanciale, Tomato, and Chile

This recipe comes from Tosca in San Francisco and was published in Bon Appetit. It's very good. I upped the amounts so I could cook a full pound of pasta which really just amounted to adding more rosemary and 5 ounces of crushed tomatoes. I've made this with and without garlic and personally I like it a little better with some garlic (just 1 large clove). 

1 sprig rosemary
4 ounces guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl) or pancetta, very thinly sliced
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 ounces bucatini
Kosher salt
1 ounce Pecorino, finely grated
Olive oil (for serving)

Microwave rosemary on high in 20-second intervals until leaves are brittle, about 60 seconds. Remove leaves and grind to a fine powder with a spice mill or mortar and pestle; you should have about 1 tsp. (Alternatively, very finely chop leaves.)

Cook guanciale in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until guanciale is browned and crisp, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Cook onion in same skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Return all but 2 Tbsp. guanciale to skillet and add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and rosemary powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 5–8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Cook over medium heat, tossing and adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes.

Serve pasta topped with Pecorino and remaining 2 Tbsp. guanciale and drizzled with oil.

Linguine with Burst Tomatoes and Chiles

Carlo Mirarchi contributed this recipe to Bon Appetit.

You can use pre-made bread crumbs if necessary and since I cook gluten free most of the time because of my wife, I typically have a stash of gf bread crumbs ready to use. The concept of using bread crumbs in pasta dishes seems to be a predominantly southern Italian idea probably originating in the deep south, most likely Calabria.

2 slices ¼"-thick crusty bread, well-toasted, broken into pieces

12 oz. linguine

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon chopped drained oil-packed Calabrian chiles

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more

1 pound small tomatoes

1 oz. Pecorino, finely grated (about ½ cup)

Freshly ground black pepper

Pulse toast in a food processor to fine crumbs; set aside.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat chiles and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, turning tomatoes occasionally, until blistered in spots, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, lightly crushing tomatoes, until beginning to break down, about 3 minutes.

Add pasta, 1 cup pasta cooking liquid, and ¼ cup Pecorino to skillet and cook, tossing and adding more liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes.

Serve pasta seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with remaining Pecorino and reserved breadcrumbs.

Garlicky Runner Beans

Mona Talbott submitted this recipe to Bon Appetit. It's nice and easy and tastes good. :)

¼ cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1½ pounds green and/or yellow runner beans, trimmed

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, halved

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. 

Add beans and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cook, tossing occasionally, until beans are crisp-tender and lightly browned, 8–10 minutes. 

Transfer beans to a platter and squeeze lemon over.

Sangria and Cherry-Apple Juice

Sangria is just about the best thing ever. Therefore, I have a sangria recipe. 

Cherry juice is expensive in Denver. I always get a medium-size bottle of apple juice when I make this recipe and then mix the leftover cherry juice with the apple juice. The cherry-apple juice tastes like fall.

1 750 ml bottle rosé wine (prefer 2 rosé instead of 1 and 1 rose/red)
1 750 ml bottle red wine
1 L club soda
2-3 c cherry juice
2 c amaretto (traditionally brandy but the amaretto goes nicely with the cherry)
1/2 c simple syrup (optional - prefer not to use it)
2 apples sliced
3 oranges sliced
2 limes/lemons sliced
large bunch of cherries - pitted (optional)

Sprouted Mung Bean 3 Bean Salad (making it a 4 bean salad)

Everybody does recipes nowadays and Yoga Journal gets the props for this recipe. I like the good old fashioned 3 bean salad. I've always thought of it as an Italian American dish since I learned how to make it from my father, but I guess it has merged into the larger American culture. That's a good thing in my opinion because this 4 bean salad is a nice change of pace with the vinaigrette dressing and the sprouts. 

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted mung beans
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 lb fresh green beans
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Sprout in advance

Sprout mung beans following directions here. (The website is missing the link. I was able to buy sprouted beans from a grocery store called Sprouts.)

2. Make dressing

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, and mustard until creamy. Add minced tarragon, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare salad

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; blanch green beans for 1-2 minutes. Dunk in a bowl of ice water to cool; drain, chop into short lengths, and place in a serving bowl. Add sprouted mung beans, red beans, chickpeas, and scallions. Dress, season with salt and pepper, and toss to mix. Chill in the refrigerator. Just before serving, gently fold in tomatoes and feta.

Rosemary Chicken (Kotopoulo me Dendrolivano)

This recipe comes from Saveur magazine. I liked the name and it turned out pretty good. It didn't have as strong a rosemary vibe as I had hoped, but it was tasty and the chicken was cooked perfectly.

SERVES 2–4

INGREDIENTS
4 whole skin-on chicken legs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup flour, for dredging
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup white wine
1 1/2 c water
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 fresh bay leaves
Juice of 1 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425˚. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Put flour on a plate and dredge chicken in flour to coat, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add wine, rosemary, and bay leaves. Return pan to heat and cook until wine reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add 1½ cups water and bring to a boil.

2. Cover skillet, transfer to oven, and cook until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and let chicken skin crisp, 5 minutes. Remove chicken from the oven; stir in lemon juice. Serve chicken with the pan sauce.

Best Pesto I've Ever Made

I have posted pesto recipes before but honestly this is the best version. It started with the base pesto recipe I have used for years, but the ratios have been adjusted and the secret step has been added. I read a pesto recipe in Saveur magazine which calls for the basil to be blanched and then shocked in ice water. Wow! What a difference. Sometimes basil has a bitter vibe to it and the blanching smoothes that out plus it turns the basil a nice vibrant green color. That vibrance makes the pesto look better and much more professional.

This recipe makes a really good amount for 1 lb. of pasta - approximately 1 1/2 cups. Pesto goes best with short pastas like penne, ziti, rotini, orecchiette, etc.

Ingredients

4 oz basil - 6 2/3 oz packages - remove the large stems

1/2 c pine nuts lightly toasted

1/2 c olive oil

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

1-2 garlic cloves

Salt

Blanch the basil briefly in boiling water just until it turns bright green and then shock in ice water. Gently squeeze out some excess water.

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and process till a paste forms. Blend to desired consistency. Add salt to taste.

3 Ingredient Salsa

Reblog of a reblog. :) Joanna Goddard posted this recipe created by Lisa Fain in her blog A Cup of Jo. While I think Joanna waxes strong with her headline (The Best Salsa You'll Ever Have), it is definitely a good quality salsa. And it's so easy to make. Roast some tomatoes and jalapeños and blend. Woohoo!

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups salsa

1 pound plum or roma tomatoes, stemmed and cut in half

1 or 2 jalapeños (depending on how hot you want the salsa), stemmed and cut in half

2 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt and pepper, to taste

Turn on your broiler and place a rack five inches away from the heating element. Line a skillet or baking sheet with foil and place the tomatoes, jalapeño halves and garlic on the skillet; season with salt. Cook under the broiler for five minutes (this, and all broiling steps, took much longer in my weak oven), or until the jalapeño and garlic have brown spots. Remove the jalapeño and garlic from the skillet and place in a blender.

Meanwhile, return the skillet to the oven and continue to broil the tomatoes for five more minutes, or until they have browned on top. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and add them to the blender, also pouring into the blender any juices that may be in the skillet. Begin to pulse on a low speed until the salsa reaches your desired texture; I usually add about 2 tablespoons water to loosen mine — you may need up to 1/4 cup, or more, for a thinner salsa. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Eat with everything.

Fudgesicles!

Lisa Turner gets the credit for this recipe at the Healthy Gourmet. It's a really nice recipe and so unexpected. The mixture tastes almost like pudding before freezing and still has an avocado flavor. Once frozen, you really can't tell - it surprised me. I also love the fact that the recipe uses honey instead of sugar.

It made only 4 popsicles for me. Because of the leftover coconut milk, I could make 2 more popsicles with an additional avocado and the appropriate amount of the other ingredients.

Ingredients

2 small avocados

1 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup raw, unfiltered honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Halve avocados lengthwise and remove seed. Scoop flesh into a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth and creamy.

2. Transfer mixture to a popsicle tray, and insert sticks. Freeze for 2 hours or overnight.

3. Unmold and serve!

Frijoles de la Olla

This recipe comes from Saveur. I love good beans. I have always wondered how good Mexican restaurants get their frijoles to be soft but not too soft and flavorful but not overwhelming. This recipe does the trick. I imagine adding some pork - a good, fat-streaked piece of pancetta or prosciutto end would be a nice addition too.

SERVES 6–8

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dried pinto beans
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 whole jalapeño, plus ½ stemmed, seeded, minced
½ small yellow onion, plus ¼ minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup minced cilantro
1 tomato, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
Crumbled cotija cheese and flour tortillas, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring beans, garlic, whole jalapeño, ½ whole onion, and 8 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, season with salt and pepper, and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make pico de gallo by stirring remaining jalapeño and onion with cilantro and tomato in a small bowl until combined. Ladle beans into serving bowls, and top with pico de gallo and cotija. Serve with warm tortillas.

Ginger Grilled Chicken

This recipe comes from Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey via Saveur. It's a great grilled chicken. I was not able to find a 3 lb. chicken, so I used a 5 lb. chicken and just added more ginger. I grated the ginger so it was more pulpy which added some liquid to the marinade. 

INGREDIENTS

1 (2½–3-lb.) chicken, halved, backbone removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (1") piece ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir lemon juice, oil, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and ginger in a bowl; add chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 2–4 hours.

2. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high.) Grill chicken, turning as needed, until slightly charred and cooked through, about 35 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh reads 165°. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with melted butter.

Tony's Potato Salad

This is my own recipe. :)

5 medium Red potatoes - cut into pieces
1/4 small onion finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped
basil chopped
6 green onion greens chopped
Kosher Salt
Pepper
8 oz. non-fat plain greek yogurt
Feta cheese (greek style in brine cut into small cubes 12-16) or crumbles if preferred
Fresh Italian parsely - finely chopped ~ 1/4 cup
Paprika
2 t white wine vinegar

Boil potatoes till soft then throw in a bowl of ice to cool them down quickly. Cut into pieces.

Mix everything together, add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle paprika over top, keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Green Minestrone

This recipe comes from Alison Roman via Bon Appetit. This is a great, fresh soup. Hearty, tasty and fully in the tradition of the minestrone. The DeLallo orzo is a great gluten-free substitute for the pasta. 

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, chopped
½ small fennel bulb, finely chopped
½ small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 small carrots, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
1 cup fresh shelled peas or fava beans (from about 1 lb. pods) or frozen
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup fregola, ditalini, or other tiny pasta
1½ cups (lightly packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ shallot, finely chopped
2 red pearl onions or ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
Shaved Parmesan (for serving)

PREPARATION

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook leek, fennel, yellow onion, and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened but not taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, 10–15 minutes.

Add carrots and peas and simmer until carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and add pasta to soup.

While pasta is cooking, process parsley and remaining 4 Tbsp. oil in a food processor to a coarse paste, transfer to a small bowl, and mix in shallot. Season pesto with salt and pepper. Serve soup topped with pesto, pearl onions, and Parmesan.

Polenta with Tomatoes

This recipe comes from Melissa Rubel Jacobson via Food and Wine. There is a restaurant in Venice Beach called Figtree's Cafe and they used to make a wonderful polenta dish with black beans and feta. It was awesome. It was the only thing I would order because I loved it so much. This polenta reminded me of that. The tomatoes are really good too, but the fresh polenta is the star of the show. I would recommend making more tomatoes because this recipe makes a lot of polenta.

8 1/2 cups water
6 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound polenta (2 3/4 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes on the vine
8 thyme sprigs
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large saucepan, bring the water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and cook over low heat, whisking, until thick, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Scrape the polenta into the baking dish and smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently toss the tomatoes with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes on the baking sheet and scatter the thyme sprigs on top. Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to burst; discard the thyme.

Meanwhile, turn the polenta out onto a work surface and trim 1/2 inch off all sides. Cut the polenta into 8 rectangles. Heat a large nonstick skillet. Brush both sides of the polenta with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt. Working in 2 batches, cook the polenta over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the polenta to plates and sprinkle with the goat cheese. Arrange the roasted tomatoes over the polenta and serve.

Chickpea, Barley, and Feta Salad

This recipe comes from Dawn Perry via Bon Appetit. To make this gluten free, I used DeLallo gluten-free orzo. It's fantastic and this recipe is just great. My wife loved it. I loved it. I double up the recipe so I can use a full package of orzo. Personally, I think the dill is optional.

INGREDIENTS
8 oz. green beans, halved crosswise
Kosher salt
1 cup pearled, hulled, or hull-less barley
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 15.5-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
4 oz. feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Toasted Spice Vinaigrette

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a sieve or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water.
Return water to a boil, add barley, and simmer until tender (refer to packaging for timing); drain. Let cool on a baking sheet.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook sunflower seeds, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; let cool.

Toss green beans, barley, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, feta, dill, lemon juice, and vinaigrette in a large bowl.

Toasted Spice Vinaigrette

This recipe comes from Dawn Perry via Bon Appetit. It goes really well with the Chickpea, Barley, and Feta Salad.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toast coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then chop. Whisk with oil, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Moroccan Chicken Brochettes

This recipe comes from Anissa Helou via Bon Appetit and it's a winner. I really like the garlic sauce, it will be easy to repurpose for other things. It's important to get the garlic crushed to a paste so it spreads out evenly and fully infuses the sauce. I think you can use a food processor as well.

GARLIC SAUCE

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Kosher salt

⅓ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons plain yogurt

CHICKEN

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2” pieces

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil (for grilling)

Warm pita bread, labneh (Lebanese strained yogurt), chopped tomatoes, and fresh mint leaves (for serving)

GARLIC SAUCE

Place garlic in a mortar; season with salt and pound to a very fine paste. (Alternatively, place garlic on a cutting board, season with salt, and mash with the side of a chef’s knife.) Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and gradually whisk in oil.

Very gradually whisk yogurt into garlic mixture until emulsified. (Add too fast and sauce will break. If it does break, gradually whisk in 1 tsp. water just before serving.)

DO AHEAD: Garlic sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

CHICKEN

Toss chicken, garlic, parsley, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl; season with salt. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Prepare grill for medium-high heat and oil grate. Thread chicken onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 8–12 minutes. Serve with garlic sauce, pita bread, labneh, tomatoes, and mint.

DO AHEAD: Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Yogurt with Figs, Honey, and Pine Nuts

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit contributed by Anissa Helou. If you like figs, this is special! It's warm and creamy and sweet and crunchy and just wonderful. Any middle eastern food shop worth its salt will have rose water and it's pretty cheap.

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons pine nuts
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon rose water or orange-flower water
3 cups plain Greek yogurt
16 fresh figs, halved

Toast pine nuts in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, tossing often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a plate.

Heat honey and rose water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very runny, about 1 minute (do not let boil); let cool.

Serve yogurt and figs drizzled with warm honey mixture and topped with pine nuts.

Smashed Fingerlings with Jalapeños

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit contributed by Lou Lambert and Larry McGuire. I liked it but it was not special. It was too vinegary. I like fingerlings with jalapeños just straight without the sauce. You can always throw in some whole garlic cloves.

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved crosswise if large
½ cup olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed if desired
¼ cup (lightly packed) torn flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 450°. Toss potatoes with ¼ cup oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until golden brown and tender, 30–35 minutes. Let cool slightly, then lightly flatten.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar and mustard in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining ¼ cup oil until emulsified; season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes, jalapeño, and parsley and toss; season with salt and pepper.

Whole Chicken Pollo Relleno

This recipe comes from Susana Rangel Gutierrez via Saveur, and boy it is a good one. This chicken was just fantastic. The skin is to die for. The chicken is moist and the cheesy goodness is incredible. As usual, I didn't use the butter substituting olive oil instead. If you can't find Manchego, make sure to get a provolone that has a little sharpness. You definitely don't want a neutral cheese. I also added some sliced green olives that were lying around the fridge.

For serving, I think lime wedges and other taco fixins should be added (chopped onion, cilantro, guacamole, sour cream or greek yogurt, etc).

SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1 (4½–5-lb.) chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
5 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. thinly sliced Manchego fresco or provolone
6 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch spinach (about 5 oz.), tough stems trimmed
Salsa verde and tortillas, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 475°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Slide fingers under the skin of breast to create a pocket. Mix 1 tbsp. butter and the garlic in a bowl; spread over breast meat. Stuff cheese, mushrooms, and spinach leaves into pocket; stuff any excess into cavity. Using a trussing needle and 6' kitchen string, tuck tail inward and sew cavity closed; tie legs together (see How to Truss a Chicken). Place breast side up in a 9" x 13" baking dish; rub with remaining butter. Cook, basting occasionally, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165°, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving; serve with salsa and tortillas, if you like.

Coffee-cured Pork (Pulled Pork Shoulder Tacos)

This recipe by Linton Hopkins via Food and Wine is awesome! My whole family just loved it. Of course there are several ways you can serve this pork, what I did was to make tacos! Lime wedges, greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), salsa, finely chopped shallots, guacamole, and corn tortillas. This really completed the dish and made it special.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coarsely ground coffee (½)
1/2 cup Kosher salt plus more for the glaze
One 4-pound, bone-in pork butt
1/3 cup sorghum or molasses
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground pepper

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, coffee and 1/2 cup of salt. Add the pork and rub the mixture all over. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300°. Rinse off the pork and set in a roasting pan. Roast the pork for 6 hours, basting with pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 200°; cover with foil for the last 2 hours of cooking. Transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 500°.

In a saucepan, boil the sorghum and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly reduced, 10 minutes. Pour the glaze over the pork and roast for 15 minutes, until glazed. Let cool, then shred the pork.

Chickpea Stew

This recipe comes from Sergi Millet via Food and Wine. A solid recipe. As usual I cannot help myself and I had to tweak. I added some celery because I had it in the fridge and needed to use it up. I'm not sure why the recipe tells you to maintain such a small amount of water for pre-cooking the chickpeas. I filled a stock pot about 2/3 full and then let the chickpeas simmer for 2 hours and didn't have to constantly watch to make sure the water level was right. If someone can give me a compelling reason for doing it the way the recipe says, I'd be much obliged.

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
1 bay leaf
One 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes, chopped, 1 cup juice reserved
1/2 pound soft cooked chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 pound spinach, thick stems discarded
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, about 2 hours; add more water as necessary to maintain the level. Drain the chickpeas and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

In a medium, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, rosemary and bay leaf and cook over moderate heat until the onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat until sizzling, about 4 minutes. Add the chorizo, the cooked chickpeas and their reserved cooking water and the tomato juice and bring to a simmer. Stir in half of the spinach and cook until wilted, then stir in the remaining spinach. Simmer over moderately low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

MAKE AHEAD The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.