Tacos w. Slow Roasted Cod in Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

This hobby led to my favorite meal of the moment…

At the bookstore I’m that person idling with 10 cookbooks at my feet, slowly flipping through one at a time. I’ll never take any of them home with me, but I like to grab flickers of flavor inspiration & soak up inventive ingredient combinations.

So, recently at the McNally Jackson Bookstore in Williamsburg I was flipping through Molly Baz’s Cook This Book when something caught my eye: a crunchy tostada, tender fish, a vibrant green salsa-ish. And I knew I had to make my own. That night these tacos were born and I simply cannot get enough of them. Don’t let the recipe intimidate you: it’s just a bit of easy prep work you can totally handle while sipping your favorite drink & chatting with a friend. The fish cooks in 15 minutes and then you’ll be happily feasting on these bright, spicy & creamy tacos that will (hopefully) blow your mind.

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Tacos with Slow Roasted Cod in Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

Serves 2-3

• 6 Tortillas, I strongly recommend Trader Joe’s Corn and Wheat Tortillas

• Hot sauce, I like it with Trader Joe’s Habanero Hot Sauce

For Fish

• 2-3 filets of fresh cod, 3/4 lb total

• 3 garlic cloves, grated or very finely minced

• 1.5 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil

• Approx. 1 tsp Coarse kosher salt

For Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

• 1 medium - large avocado

• 3-4 limes (sometimes they don’t render much juice so I like to buy extra)

• 3 small-medium tomatillos

• 1 small bunch cilantro (here’s what to do with leftover cilantro)

• 2 large garlic cloves

For Quick Pickled Veg

• 1/2 cup white vinegar

• 1/4-1/2 cup sweet vinegar, like white balsamic or sherry vinegar (rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or ACV also work)

• 1/2 tsp coarse salt

• 1/2 tsp sugar (any kind will work)

• 1-2 small Persian cucumbers, cleaned and cut into thin rounds

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

• 1 red thai chili, with seeds if you want it hotter, or use a __ if you don’t like hot pepper

Chipotle Mayo Drizzle

• 2 Tbsps mayonnaise

• 1 small can chipotle en adobo, usually in the International aisle of your grocery store (stored in a sealed jar, this lasts in your fridge a long time and is a powerful flavor addition for marinades, dressings, mayos and dips)

Turn your oven on to 300 F.

Take 3/4 lb cod out of the fridge to bring to room temp. Leave it somewhere cool in your kitchen, not cold but not hot.

In the meanwhile, let’s make our quick pickle. to a large jar add about 1/2 cup white vinegar and then fill the jar to the 3/4 mark with another sweeter variety of vinegar like white balsamic or sherry vinegar. If you have neither, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do. Pour all of your liquid into a small bowl.

To the vinegar in the bowl add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir well until dissolved into the vinegar (you can also do this in a small saucepan over low heat if you want to speed up the dissolving process).

In the meantime, to the empty jar add:

• 1-2 Persian or mini hothouse cucumbers, cut into thin rounds

• 1 small or 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

• 1 red thai chili, with seeds if you want it hotter, or use a __ if you don’t like hot pepper

Finally, pour your vinegar into the jar over the vegetables. If you heated the vinegar, allow it to cool before adding back to your jar.

Now, to make the avocado tomatillo salsa - the magic behind this recipe. Lightly oil a stainless steel pan, cast iron pan or cast iron griddle with a neutral oil (avocado, sunflower, safflower, canola, etc). Place over medium heat. Cut three tomatillos in half and two garlic cloves in half, and lay flat side down in your pan. It should be sizzling. Sear until browned, then flip and sear another few minutes on the other side. We’re looking to get browning on the garlic and a little char on the tomatillos (they may soften and that’s totally okay). When sufficiently charred remove from the pan carefully using tongs, set aside and turn off the pan. 

Get out a blender or food processor. To the bowl of the blender add large handful of cilantro with stems, half your avocado, juice of 1-2 limes (you can always add more later), and finally the charred tomatillos and garlic. Blend until smooth and then add a pinch or two of salt, tasting until it hits the sweet spot. This salsa should be citrusy and bright, so if you only used one lime consider adding another. Add to a jar and set aside.

It’s time to cook your fish: place your fish filets in an oven safe skillet or baking dish. Drizzle with 1.5 Tbsps olive oil, 1 tsp of coarse kosher salt (use less if you have fine salt), and 3 very finely minced or grated garlic cloves. Rub the filets with the salt, garlic and olive oil so they are evenly coated. 

Place in the oven and roast for 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of your fish filets. You want it to be flaky and tender, so try to avoid overcooking. If smaller filets finish first, transfer them to a plate and place on a plate tented with aluminum foil. When all of the fish is done, transfer it onto the plate.

While the fish cooks, your final steps to prepare:

• This is optional but really makes the dish spectacular so I recommend it. In a small ramekin or bowl, add 1 tsp chipotle en adobo with 2 Tbsp mayonnaise and juice of 1/2 a lime. Mix until combined. You could also use a pre-made chipotle mayo but homemade is way better.

• Warm your tortillas: you can do this in the microwave with this trick, but I like to warm mine over the small to medium burner on my stovetop carefully using tongs. Keep the flame low but not so low that it doesn’t reach the tortilla. It may need 30 seconds - 1 minute on each side. Look for a little charring and that it’s warm. Transfer to a plate as you warm the tortillas and cover with a clean kitchen towel or foil.

• Take the other 1/2 of the avocado leftover from making the salsa, peel the skin off the outside, lay flat side down and dice. Add to a bowl to serve with the tacos.

It’s time to serve. Uncover the covered fish and using a fork, gently flake it apart into small pieces. Drizzle with plenty of your avocado tomatillo salsa. Then build your tacos - a little fish, a drizzle of chipotle mayo, some avocado and pickled veggies. Enjoy this flavor train!

Cucumber & Fresh Herb Salad with Tamarind BBQ Chicken

My top tip for women trying to stay nourished? Bring meals together with sauce…

Specifically, high-quality, pre-made sauces. That’s why I am SO excited to be partnering with woman-founded Haven’s Kitchen as a brand ambassador. This means I get to bring you delicious 15, 20 and 30 minute meals using their line of inspired, easy-to-use sauces. These sauces are incredible meal starters and can be used for anything — from marinades to dressings, pasta sauces, dipping sauces & more.

This 30-minute salad is my personal new fav for summer weekday-eats. It’s satisfying, satiating and refreshing, using cool crunchy cucumber & tons of fresh herbs to bring the taste of summer to your plate in no time. Chicken thighs marinated in Haven’s Kitchen Tangy BBQ sauce are seared in a cast iron, turning into a caramelized sweet-and-savory masterpiece.
Click here and grab 10% off this sauce (and others) using code ‘thekitchenbymicole’ at checkout.*

*This is not a paid affiliate link but does help me continue to bring you trusted brands I love!

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Cucumber & Fresh Herb Salad with Tamarind BBQ Chicken

SERVES 1-2

• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 2.5oz pouch Haven’s Kitchen Tangy BBQ Sauce (half the pouch)

• ¼ - ½ cucumber, cut into rounds

• ⅛ - ¼ red onion, cut into half rounds

• ⅛ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• ⅛ cup chopped fresh mint

• ½ cup loosely packed arugula

• Rice vinegar

• Coarse kosher salt

• Chili crisp or Mama Lam’s Malaysian Hot Sauce

• Neutral oil

Marinate 1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs in about half pouch of Haven’s Kitchen Tangy BBQ sauce, or until all chicken is thoroughly coated. Let sit 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour in the fridge. Make sure to bring chicken back to room temperature before cooking.

Place 8-10 inch cast iron over medium high heat. Once the pan is warm, add 1-2 Tbsps of neutral oil, just enough so the bottom of the pan is coated.

When the oil is hot add chicken thighs to the pan, letting excess marinade drip off before adding. The chicken should sizzle when it hits the pan. If it doesn’t, remove and let the oil continue to heat. Cook 7-10 mins or until chicken has nice brown color on the first side, then flip.

While chicken is cooking, cut clean cucumber into thick rounds. Then by hand, break into smaller pieces.

Dice 1/8-1/4 of a red onion into thin half moons. First cut your onion in half from the root end through the bottom. Then cut both the top (root) and the bottom of the onion so it’s flat on both ends. Then holding your knife at a slight angle at first, work your way across the onion, cutting into thin half rounds.

Place cut onions in a bit of cold water to remove some of the sharpness.

When the chicken is browned, flip to the second side and continue cooking another 3-5 mins, or until 165F internal temperature is reached on a meat thermometer.

Build your salad: to a plate add arugula, cucumber and red onion. Sprinkle with a little coarse kosher salt and drizzle with rice vinegar. Gently toss and massage. On top place sliced, cooked chicken.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & chopped mint. Add a drizzle of Mama Lam’s Malaysian hot sauce or your favorite chili crisp. Toss and enjoy!

Cardamom & Hazelnut Banana Bread

Thank you, Kristen Miglore…

Kristen is a founding editor at Food52. She is also the share-er of my favorite banana bread recipe - a recipe her mom discovered in a community cookbook. As the best recipes are, it seems this one is meant to be passed on and tweaked in all the amazing ways banana bread can be, with a change of nut here, and a dash of something unexpected here.

In this version of Kristen’s banana bread I use hazelnuts and a hint of ground cardamom to make a banana bread that’s just extra-extra special in all the right ways. Of course I hope you will try this recipe, as well as Kristen’s OG version here, which is an undeniably good classic. I’ve also made this using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free AP Flour and it came out GREAT.

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Cardamom & Hazelnut Banana Bread

Makes one 9”x5” loaf

• 1/2 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pans

• 3 very ripe large bananas (frozen and thawed work great)

• .87 cups (175 grams) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/4 cups (157.50 grams) all-purpose flour, or Gluten Free Baking Flour

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) finely chopped hazelnuts

• 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cardamom, depending how much cardamom you want to come through

• Turbinado or other sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Mash your ripe bananas in a medium sized bowl using a large fork. Once mashed add butter, sugar and eggs. Mix until well-combined.

In another medium sized bowl add your dry ingredients: flour, salt, ground cardamom and baking soda. In lieu of sifting, whisk all the dry ingredients together to make sure there are no lumps, and that they are thoroughly combined.

Add dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet banana mixture. Stir until the flour is nearly all the way combined with the wet ingredients.n Add your chopped hazelnuts and finish stirring until no flour is visible, making sure to scrape down bottom and sides of the bowl.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9”x5” inch loaf pan. Before putting in the oven, add this special, but optional, touch that I love from Kristen’s recipe - sprinkle the top with a thin layer of turbinado or other raw sugar.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until a cake tester, paring knife or toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out with no visibly wet batter (as Kristen says moist crumbs clinging are okay. If you use a shallower pan, bake for less time.

Once removed from the oven, let the loaf cool, 15-30 minutes, then unmold and wrap tightly in parchment and then a layer of tin foil or beeswax food wrap. Keep covered at room temperature.

Tangy Carrot Salsa

Fight the battle against carrots that are shriveling in your fridge once & for all…

In my series ‘What To Do With the Leftover Sh*t In My Fridge’ I find easy culinary solutions for the pesky ingredients that somehow always find their way to the bottom (or back) of your fridge, only to see the day of light again once they’re past their prime.

This time around, the focus of my efforts was carrots and it took some time before I landed on the thing to save them from imminent death: carrot salsa. You didn’t misunderstand me - this 4 ingredient condiment is the thing you’ll be putting on your fish tacos & salads all summer long.

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Tangy Carrot Salsa

• 1 cup of thin carrot rounds from clean, peeled carrots

• 1/4 cup diced red onion, large dice

• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, leaves and stems

• 3 Tbsps of fresh lime juice, from 2-3 limes

• Kosher salt

• OPTIONAL: rounds of hot pepper of choice (jalapeńo, habanero, birds eye chili), Cubed avocado

If you are using carrots that have been lying around in your fridge for a while, you’ll want to revive them first by soaking them for a few minutes in an ice bath comprised of ice and water. This will give them back a bit of the moisture they lost while sitting in your fridge.
Clean and peel the carrots, and then cut into thin rounds (roughly 1/4-1/2 inch thick). A mandolin helps make quick work of this, but if you don’t have one, don’t fret — cut them by hand and don’t worry so much about your knife skills. This is a rough chopped salsa, after all. Do a large dice on a bit of red onion, about 1/4 cup. Finally, if you want a spicy salsa, cut a few rounds of your hot pepper of choice.

In the bowl of a food processor combine all ingredients with your squeezed lime juice. Pulse for about 15-30 seconds, just until you’ve created a rough chop. Don’t go too long or you will puree the mixture!

Empty into a bowl and season, adding a pinch of kosher salt and more lime if you like. You could even add some cubed avocado to this salsa before serving to give it texture and flavor contrast.

Enjoy with any meal you’d normally add salsa to (tacos, nachos, quesadillas, salads, grain bowls, toast, eggs!).

The Easiest Creamy Pinto Beans (Vegan)

Creamy, soft pinto beans are one of my favorite comfort foods…

This is how I make mine using nothing more than a can of beans and two cloves of garlic. They’re amazing on tacos, in my Shiitake Mushroom Burritos or just served as a side with some savory rice.

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The Easiest Creamy Pinto Beans (Vegan)

• 1 can Pinto Beans (I love Brad’s Organic beans)

• 2 whole cloves fresh garlic, peeled and crushed 

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Pinch kosher salt

To a pot add the entire can of pinto beans, unstrained. Add your 2 peeled & crushed garlic cloves, pinch of salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer and let cook until some of the excess liquid has cooked off, 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the beans are not burning on the bottom.

Once the liquid has reduced, remove the garlic cloves and use a large spoon or spatula to crush and break up the pinto beans. This helps them to get even more creamy. Continue to cook over a lower heat if you want them even thicker. When they are done cooking, add fresh cilantro and stir. Salt to taste, mix and enjoy!

Creamy Rigatoni w. Leeks, Sausage & Oregano

This dish is the perfect fall meal. You’ll have to make it and see what I mean…

The light has already started to slant into my apartment differently come mid day, and I’m reaching for a cozy sweater instead of flip flops for my evening walks. When dinner rolls around I look right past the raw greens for something cozy, like this rich, herbaceous rigatoni.

It comes as no surprise to me that this time last year I was publishing the recipe for my Baked Rigatoni Vodka, because any iteration of rigatoni will do when it comes to cold-weather comfort food. This sauce layers umami from browned pork sausage and tomato paste with the savory aromatics of oregano and leeks. Finished off with smooth heavy cream and starchy pasta water, it creates the perfect luscious jacket for al dente pasta. I served mine with a crisp white wine (because it’s not winter yet, okay?!) but I’ll leave the beverage choice to you.

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Creamy Rigatoni with Leeks, Sausage and Oregano

Serves 2-4

• 6 oz ground pork breakfast sausage, from a roll or removed from link casing

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks, washed, tops removed

• 1 Tbsp loosely packed fresh or dried oregano

• 3.5 heaping Tbsps tomato paste

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth

• 1/4 - 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1/4 - 1/3 cup starchy pasta water, reserved when straining pasta

• Coarse kosher salt

• Fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• Freshly grated black pepper

Fill a large pot with 2 Qt of water (8 cups) for your pasta. Place over medium heat while you make the sauce.

Place a 10-12 inch pan with high sides over medium heat (I love doing this in a cast iron). To the pan add a splash of olive oil. Add pork and break it up using a spoon or spatula. Pat down the pieces of pork into a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Let it brown, 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir, loosening the pork from the bottom of the pan. Then pat back down into a single layer and let brown another 3 minutes. At this point the pork should be brown and crispy. Turn the heat down to medium and add the leeks. Stir and sweat for 1-2 minutes until starting to soften.

Meanwhile, when your pot of water for the pasta is nearly boiling add 3 tsps of coarse kosher salt. Let dissolve.

To the pan with the pork and leeks add 3.5 heaping Tbsps of tomato paste, stir and let cook 1-2 minutes allowing the paste to deepen in color. Turn the heat down to medium-low and deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of white wine, stir and then allow to simmer gently for a minute or two for the alcohol to cook off.

At this point your pasta water should be boiling. Add rigatoni and cook 10-12 minutes until al dente.

To your sauce, add the 1/4 cup of heavy cream and stir to combine. Let simmer a minute or two, then taste. Add more salt as needed and a few cranks of fresh black pepper. For a spicier sauce add another 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of red chili flakes. To the sauce add your oregano and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth. Let simmer over low heat while pasta cooks.

When the pasta is ready, strain making sure to reserve 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water. Add cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce. Gently stir, and pour in starchy pasta water until all noodles are thoroughly coated in sauce. You may not need all of the water: add until sauce is loosened to desired consistency.

Serve with fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano on top, a little more oregano and black pepper - and dig in immediately! (Cozy clothes optional but recommended).

Chili & Cilantro Fairytale Eggplant w. Labneh

Fairy Tale eggplant are a summer delight.

If you love eggplant but avoid large, globe eggplant, which can be bitter and require time & love to bring out their tender side, then this tiny eggplant cousin is for you.

Tender and easy to cook with a deliciously mild flavor, these eggplant have been coming home with me week after week from the farmer’s market. All they need is a little oil and 3-5 minutes cut side down in a hot cast iron. Slightly larger ones may need another few minutes on the other side, and then they’re ready to be served any way you like. This dish is definitely one where you can flex your creativity and choose your own adventure: I like mine served warm over labneh, with a drizzle of chili oil, one final dash of salt and fresh cilantro.

Images by Erin Dwyer Photography

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Chili & Cilantro Fairytale Eggplant with Labneh

Serves 2

• 10-12 Fairy Tale Eggplant

• Neutral oil, like Avocado, Safflower or Sunflower

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2-3 heaping spoonfuls labneh

• Chili oil, like Fly by Jing or Chili Onion Crunch from Trader Joe’s

• Fresh cilantro or other fresh herb

Heat a well seasoned cast iron over med-high heat.

In the meantime, wash and cut Fairy Tale eggplant in half lengthwise. Drizzle the cut side with neutral oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the cast iron is hot, place the eggplant cut side down until they’re golden and seared, 3-5 minutes. Larger eggplant may need another few minutes on the other side to become tender throughout. Remove eggplant from the cast iron and let cool a few minutes.

Plate over a few heaping spoonfuls of labneh. Drizzle with your favorite condiment like chili oil or zhug. Finish with fresh cilantro and/or other fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Maple Citrus Plum Jam w. Ginger

Tangy, seasonal & sweet…

This plum jam recipe was born out of a collaboration with Fraiche Kiosk for their 2021 Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables Calendar. In July, plums are exquisite and now is the time to take advantage, so go on — get jammin’ [was that a dad joke?].

Print and digital copies of the Seasonal Calendar are still available here! 10% of proceeds from sales are donated to Rethink Food, a nonprofit working to reduce food insecurity in the New York area. Each month features seasonal ingredients, monthly recipes (including mine!) & Fraîche’s suggestions for a more environmentally friendly life.

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Maple Citrus Plum Jam with Ginger

• 2 lbs ripe plums, Empress or other variety

• ½ cup of maple sugar, or natural sweetener of your choice

• ½ cup water

• Juice of ½ - 1 whole lemon or lime, to taste

• ½ - 1 tsp raw grated ginger, to taste

Thoroughly rinse your plums, then cut in half and remove pits. Make sure there are no small pieces stuck to the plum flesh. Cut plum halves into quarters and add to a med-large sauce pot. Add water and sugar or other sweetener to the plums, and mix. Start the mixture over a medium heat. When it starts to simmer, turn down to a low heat and cook, stirring very often to make sure the sugars don’t burn on the bottom of the pot.

Cook about 45 minutes - 1 hour, or longer, until jam has reached desired thick consistency. Test thickness using an ice cold spoon from the freezer — when the jam sets on the cold spoon it reflects how thick the jam will be once cooled. At this point add fresh squeeze citrus juice , strained of any solids, and raw grated ginger to taste. Mix thoroughly. Let cool before storing in a jar in the fridge.

Seared Cumin Pork Chops w. Mango Salsa

I’ve been working at mastering seared pork chops…

Even though I had a clear idea of the general technique, my chops still seemed to lack something very important: juiciness. I decided it was time to roll up my sleeves and write a recipe for pork chops that won’t disappoint.

The key is to do everything you possibly can to avoid dryness: pork chops are a lean cut of meat so even when just slightly overcooked, they become tough and dry. That said, have no fear: this recipe employs numerous techniques that will protect you from this pork-pitfall.

First, use bone-in chops: the extra fat and connective tissue protects the meat from drying out (and of course, fat adds flavor!). Next, brining: this seasons and moistens the pork from the inside out. And finally, using a meat thermometer so you avoid cooking the pork any longer than is absolutely necessary (if your meat thermometer isn’t your best friend yet, it is now). Once you’ve moved the pan off the heat you baste with butter, cumin seeds and crushed garlic. Finish with a quick summery mango salsa for peak pork chops.

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Seared Cumin Pork Chops with Mango Salsa

• 2 bone-in pork chops, approx. 10-12 ounces each

• 8 small-medium garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 Tbsps grass fed butter

• 1 Tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 Tbsp neutral oil

• 3 cups room temperature water

• 1/2 cup kosher salt

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, or granulated brown sugar

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Kosher salt

• OPTIONAL: 1 ripe mango, 1/8 cup finely diced red onion, cilantro, pinch of kosher salt

First up is our brining process. This seasons and moistens the pork chops from the inside out.

Place your 2 pork chops on a cutting board or baking sheet. Prick pork chops on both sides with a fork, not sinking the fork in very deeply - if you’re being technical, about 1/8 inch deep.

In a gallon Ziploc or Stasher bag, add 3 cups of room temperature water, 1/2 cup kosher salt, and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar. Use a spoon to stir until the salt and sugar has mostly dissolved. Add the 2 pork chops, seal the bag and lay bag down again on the baking sheet or cutting board so that the pork chops sit in a single layer in the bag. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

Before you are going to cook the chops, remove them from the brine. Discard brine and pat your chops dry. Bring them to room temperature. Get the butter, cumin seeds and crushed garlic cloves ready for when it’s time to baste. You don’t want to be scrambling to get these later.

If you are serving with quick mango salsa, make that now. Cut off the top of the mango and from this opening, peel off the skin. Remove the cheeks of the mango, cutting around the the hard inner core.

Once room temperature and RIGHT before cooking, season your pork chops all over with just a little kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. These have been seasoned during brining, so you only need a little.

Start to heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat (make sure your pan can comfortably accommodate both chops without crowding — this is important). After about a minute, add 1 Tbsp of neutral oil to the pan, tilting the pan so that the oil evenly coats the bottom. After another minute or so, when the oil is shimmering and you see a little smoke, add your pork chops. They should sizzle when they hit the pan. If they don’t, remove the pork and wait another minute before continuing,

Once the pork chops are in the pan, start a timer for 8 minutes total. Cook the first side of the pork chop for 1 minute, undisturbed. Then, flip and cook the second side undisturbed for 1 minute. Next, using tongs to hold the chop, cook the flat, meaty side of the chop with the fat cap on it (not the bone side) for a minute, gently rocking it so the whole side gets contact with the pan. Repeat the entire process, cooking each of those three sides for 1 minute before flipping. At about 4-5 minutes you should start to see the golden brown sear developing. At 8 minutes, insert your thermometer into the thickest part of the meat: if the thermometer reads 130-135, turn off the heat and move on to basting. If it doesn’t, continue searing and flipping for another minute or two until it reaches this temperature.

Once the meat has reached 130-135 and you’ve turned off the heat, immediately add your butter, cumin seeds and crushed garlic cloves to the pan. Tilting the pan away from you, use a large spoon to baste the pork with the foamy butter, cumin seeds and garlic. Baste on both sides, and then check the internal temperature again: leave the meat in the hot pan until it’s reached 140-145F. Once it has, remove the meat from the pan and set on a clean cutting board. Let rest a few minutes before cutting into thin slices and serving immediately. Drizzle with garlic and drippings from the pan, as well as the quick mango salsa. Enjoy!

Basmati Rice w. Dates, Cardamom & Clove

There are few things more comforting than a great bowl of rice.

This sweet, savory, fragrant basmati rice is no exception. Serve it as a side with just about anything from vegetables to proteins, or add chickpeas and make this the main event, finished with a drizzle of yogurt and Tamarind chutney.

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Basmati Rice with Dates, Cardamom and Clove

• 1 cup basmati rice

• 3-4 dates, pits removed and loosely chopped 

• 11 whole cloves

• 2 whole cardamom pods, crushed 

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 

In a pot add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 lightly crushed cardamom pods, 11 whole cloves and 3-4 dates chopped into small pieces.

Cook together for a minute or two over medium heat, letting the spices get fragrant. Then add your rice to the pot and stir to combine. After a minute, add 1 3/4 cup water to the pot.

Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked (follow directions for the brand of rice you’ve chosen).

Once cooked, remove whole cloves and cardamom pods. Add a pinch of kosher salt, mix and enjoy.

Cool Rose Cardamom Pudding w. Coconut Creme & Raspberries

Cardamom and rose are an effortless combination.

I love to start my day with a bowl of this cool pudding, or have it as an easy dessert after a savory meal. Top it with anything you please, but it’s really wonderful with a spoonful of fluffy SoDelicious Cocowhip, these addictive pistachios, a quick raspberry mash & lemon zest.

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Cool Rose Cardamom Pudding with Coconut Creme and Raspberries

1 Serving 

PUDDING

• 1 cup whole milk

• 6 whole cardamom pods

• 1/2 Tbsp sugar (any kind will do)

• 1 1/2 tsp rose water

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch loosened with 1 3/4 Tbsp milk

GARNISH

• Zest of 1/4 small lemon

• Fresh, ripe raspberries (the more ripe the better)

• SoDelicious Cocowhip (original or light)

• Honey & Za’atar Roasted Pistachios

• OPTIONAL: dried edible rose petals

Add 1 cup whole milk and 6 crushed cardamom pods to a small pot. Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally. Then immediately lower to a simmer, another 3-4 mins.

Remove from the heat to steep while cooling, 10 mins. Then using a fine mesh strainer, strain milk into another pot or a bowl. If you plan to use the same pot, just clean off any milk that stuck to the pot before adding the strained milk back to the pot. You don’t want any chunks in your pudding.

Mix a slurry of 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 ¾ Tbsp milk. Place pot with strained milk back over a medium heat & bring to a simmer. Add ½ Tbsp sugar & 1 ½ teaspoons rose water. 

In order to activate the thickening power of the cornstarch, the milk must reach a gentle boil before you add the slurry (cornstarch and milk). Once it is boiling, pour in the slurry while mixing. Turn the heat down and simmer, mixing frequently, 2-5 minutes. The milk should have thickened and it will continue to firm up more once cooled in the fridge.

Pour pudding into a small dish and allow to cool before putting in the refrigerator at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, mash fresh raspberries (the more ripe the raspberries, the better) and add a spoonful to the top of the pudding along with some Honey & Za’atar Smokey Roasted Pistachios, lemon zest and edible dried rose petals if you have. Finish with a dollop of SoDelicious Dairy Free Coco Whip and enjoy immediately!

Honey & Za'atar Smokey Roasted Pistachios

Addictive and very snack-able.

These pistachios have found themselves a consistent presence in my fridge. I reach for them as a solo snack, tossed into nearly every salad I make, on top of morning kefir bowls and also crowning a soon-to-arrive recipe for Rose Cardamom Pudding.

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Honey & Za'atar Smokey Roasted Pistachios

1 Serving 

• 1 cup raw shelled pistachios

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp za’atar

• Kosher salt

• Honey

• OPTIONAL: zest of a clean lime

Preheat your oven to 300 F

Put some parchment down on a half sheet baking tray.

Add 1 cup of raw shelled (or unshelled) pistachios to the parchment. Drizzle with honey and then sprinkle with 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp za’atar and a good pinch of kosher salt.

Use a utensil to give the pistachios a mix before flattening them into a single layer.

Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They should be fragrant!

You can finish them with a bit of lime zest if you want! Serve immediately warm, or bring to room temperature before storing in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Date Roasted Carrot Salad w. Burrata, Mint & Chili

I love the transformation of humble ingredients.

Carrots are so simple and a thought I had recently was that I don’t make them enough. Though I occasionally think of baby carrots as a counterpart for hummus, for the most part, right size, whole carrots fall out of my consciousness when it comes time to grocery shopping. I find that, like eggplant or other certain vegetables, the deliciousness of a carrot is all about knowing how to treat it: not well seasoned or well cooked, a carrot would gladly be easily forgotten. So, yes, you are going to be sure to bathe these in a mixture of butter and sweet date (or fig) jam and cook until caramelized and completely melt in your mouth tender. To go the no-food-waste mile, be sure to use some of the carrot stem as a garnish.

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Date Roasted Carrot Salad with Burrata, Mint & Chili

Serves 2

• 7 thin carrots, or cut in half if they are wide, total 8 oz

• 1.5 Tbsps unsalted butter 

• 1 Tbsp date jam (or use fig jam)

• Small bunch of fresh thyme

• Toasted sunflower seeds

• 1 ball of burrata 

• 1/2 small hot red chili, finely sliced

• Fig balsamic

• Fresh mint for garnish

• OPTIONAL; carrot stems very finely minced

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Neutral oil

Preheat your oven to 400F. First rinse & scrub your carrots. Trim the carrot stems down so that just a short stem remain. Keep a few of the stems without any of the leaves.

Dry your clean carrots and in a high-heat, oven safe pan (like stainless steel or cast iron), heat a little neutral oil over high heat until hot and just barely smoking. Add the carrots, making sure they can sit in a single layer. You’ll probably need a 8-10 inch pan. Add two pinches of kosher salt and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper and toss the carrots a bit in the pan. Sear, turning occasionally, 5-7 minutes, until golden brown on all sides.

In the meantime, mix 1.5 Tbsps of melted unsalted butter with 1 Tbsp of date (or fig) jam. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir well.

When the carrots have a slightly golden hue all over, remove the whole pan from the heat. Set on a cool burner and wait a few minutes to allow the pan to cool slightly.

Using tongs, lift carrots and place your bunch of thyme down in the pan. Place carrots back on top of the thyme, brush evenly with the butter and date (or fig) glaze and then put the pan in the oven 12-15 minutes or until carrots are fork tender all the way through.

While the carrots are in the oven, very, very finely chop a bit of thin, clean carrot stems.

Slice a hot red chili into very thin rounds. When the carrots are ready, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Pull off the bundle of thyme and move carrots to a cutting board.

Cut them on the bias into smaller segments and place into 2 bowls, layering the carrot. Cut burrata open and place a half of burrata in each bowl next to the carrots.

Top with rounds of hot chili, a few small leaves of fresh mint, toasted sunflower seeds a sprinkle of the very finely cut carrot stem.

Cut burrata open, and drizzle with fig balsamic.

Sichuan Peppercorn Skirt Steak Tacos w. Black Garlic Labne, Scallions & Honey

Tangy Sichuan peppercorns, savory black garlic, and fresh habanero…

One of my favorite kitchen tools is the humble mortar and pestle. Sure, I don’t whip this thing out everyday, but on the occasion I do I feel so connected to my food and in control of flavor. While I use it mostly for grinding whole spices, I also love it for making marinades, like this one, or sauces like a mortar-and-pestle Pesto. Start by grinding whole ingredients and finish with fats or liquids. Here I combine Sichuan peppercorns with black garlic, fresh habanero and a mix of other smokey, savory spices to get a crusty layer of flavor on the steak once seared.

My big note with this recipe — don’t be turned away by the ingredient list. If you can’t get access, substitutions can be made: instead of black garlic use whole roasted garlic cloves, and swap labne for a thick, whole fat, tangy greek yogurt. That being said, the Sichuan peppercorns are sort of a must and these are a great opportunity to expand your flavor library. I also encourage you to try and get your hands on my new favorite Red Habanero hot sauce from Queen Majesty, based a whole 11 minutes from my apartment right here in Long Island City, Queens!! Lastly, you can always rely on me to deliver food full of unexpected flavors so there were some creative decisions, like finishing with honey, that I'll just need you to trust.

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Sichuan Peppercorn Skirt Steak Tacos with Black Garlic Labne, Scallions & Honey

• 6 x Corn Tortillas

• 1 lb, or 16 oz, skirt or entrana steak

• Honey

• Queen Majesty Red Habanero & Black Coffee hot sauce (find out where you can buy it here)

• 1/2 bunch scallions, cut on the bias

STEAK MARINADE

• 1/2 Tbsp cumin

• 1/2 Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

• 1 clove black garlic, steamed to soften, or 1 clove of roasted regular garlic

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp natural turbinado sugar, or any kind of granulated brown sugar

• 1/4 - 1/2 of a small fresh habanero, finely chopped with seeds for more heat (.1 -.2 oz)

• 3/4 tsp salt

• Shy of 1/4 cup neutral oil

• 2 tsp tamari

BLACK GARLIC LABNE

• 1/2 cup labne

• 4 cloves black garlic, steamed to soften, or 4 cloves of roasted regular garlic

• Juice of 1/2 lime

For this recipe, I loved using black garlic: it’s an aged garlic that is less sharp than raw garlic and super savory. You can find it online and in some specialty food stores and while it’s a bit of an investment, it’s great to have on hand in your flavor library. If you can’t get access to it, slow roast garlic and use that throughout instead. Also, if you can’t access labne, use a thick, full fat, tangy greek yogurt instead, like Fage.

Start by making your marinade. If you have a mortar and pestle, use that. Otherwise, blend everything with the oil and tamari in a food processor. You are going to need: 1/2 Tbsp cumin, 1/2 Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 clove black garlic, steamed to soften (or 1 clove of roasted garlic), 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp natural turbinado sugar, or any kind of granulated brown sugar, 1/4 - 1/2 of a small fresh habanero, finely chopped with seeds for more heat (.1 -.2 oz), 3/4 tsp salt, shy of 1/4 cup neutral oil and 2 tsp tamari.

Add the steak and marinade to a Tupperware or reusable Ziploc bag, making sure the steak is covered all over. Put in the fridge for 1 hour, but ideally up to 24 hours.

Next, prepare the black garlic labne. I find that steaming the black garlic cloves first allows them to fold into the labne more uniformly. Place 4 black garlic cloves in a steamer, or you can do what I did and simply suspend the cloves inside a small pot over about 1/2-1/4 cup of boiling water using a small mesh strainer. Cover with a top and let steam for a few minutes. Skip this step if you are using roasted garlic. Blend garlic, labne and juice of a half a lime until smooth.

When it’s time to sear the steak, be sure to bring the steak to room temperature first. Using a cast iron (or stainless steel pan), heat the pan until very hot with a bit of smoke coming off of it. Then add the marinated steak, searing over high heat 2-4 minutes per side for medium rare, depending how thin your cut of steak is. Go a little longer if you want it more well done. Let the steak rest, 5-7 minutes.

While the steak rests, char your tortillas carefully over a low-medium flame on your stovetop burner, using tongs to flip them every 30 seconds or so. If you don’t have a gas stovetop, crisp them a little under your oven broiler.

When ready to serve, cut the steak into strips or cubes. Spread a spoonful of black garlic labne on each tortilla and top with steak. Top each taco with scallions cut on the bias, a drizzle of honey and this Queen Majesty Red Habanero & Black Coffee hot sauce. I love how it has a balance of heat and flavor. Find out where you can buy it here.

Plant Based Roasted Sweet Potato Queso-Style Dip w. Caramelized Onions

Seriously, who doesn’t love a dip?!

I’m obsessed with female owned nut milk brand Three Trees. When I worked with them last year I fell in love with their incredible, creamy milks and instantly knew it would make the perfect base for a plant based dip. I’m also going to recommend some of my favorite tortilla chips from Xochitl for their ratio of thinness to dip-carrying-capacity.

Yes, this is a plant based “queso-style” dip and I put that in quotations in case you’re someone who does not believe in veganizing: I would hate for you to miss out on this dip for that reason. It’s just a great dip trying to be great! Made with simple plants and lots of flavor, we start by roasting the sweet potato and sautéing onions. This may seem like an extra step but don’t skip it, please. The name of the game to great food is LAYERING FLAVOR. When we roast and sauté our ingredients, we impart them with flavor before we’ve even blended and seasoned our dip. You can do this up to 2 days in advance, and then blend up later. Come over and make the recipe with me here!

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Plant Based Roasted Sweet Potato Queso-Style Dip with Caramelized Onions

Serves 6-8

• 2 x medium sweet potatoes, 1 lb total

• 1 medium yellow or Spanish onion

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 small white onion

• 1/2 tsp cayennne powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 2 cups Three Trees original almond milk

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 4 Tbsps white wine or apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp chipotle Cholula, and more for serving

• Fresh cilantro

• 1 lime

• Kosher salt

• Coconut oil

• Olive oil

• OPTIONAL: 1.5 tsps corn starch for thickening

• Xochitl Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Preheat oven to 380F degrees.

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into rounds. Add to a mixing bowl with 1.5 Tbsp coconut oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Toss to evenly coat.

Lay sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 mins or until golden on both sides, flipping halfway through. When finished, cut rounds down loosely into quarters for easier blending.

In the meantime, let’s make caramelized onions: take your medium yellow or Spanish onion and remove the top and bottom root end so that it’s flat on both ends. Peel off outer skin. Cut onion in half, top to bottom, and then slice into thin, half moons. Add all the onions to a large pan with a splash of olive oil. Cook 15-20 mins over low heat, stirring frequently. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of water and mix. If the onions are cooking too fast and burning, turn the heat down.

When the onions are significantly cooked down, add 1 Tbsp butter to the pan and continue to cook over low heat until they are a deep golden color. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a pot with a splash of olive oil, sauté 1  cup of loosely diced white onion. After a few minutes when the onion has started to soften, add a sprinkle of salt and 1/2 tsp cayenne, cumin powder, smoked paprika and chili powder. Mix and cook together another minute or so.

Then remove from the heat and add sweet potato pieces to the pot along with 2 cups Three Trees almond milk. Blend using a food processor, immersion or standard blender until smooth.

Taste and add a touch more salt if it needs. Also add 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 4 Tbsps white wine or apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp chipotle Cholula. Once all blended, place back in the pot and bring to a simmer, mixing frequently so you don’t burn the dip on the bottom of the pan. Once it’s bubbling, add a slurry to the pot to thicken - 1.5 tsps corn starch with 2 tsps water. The heat will activate the starch, thickening the dip, so continue to cook and mix for a minute or two after adding.

Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes. Top with plenty of fresh cilantro, juice of half a lime, and all of the caramelized onions. You can even add another splash Cholula if you like. Live your best dip life!

Crispy Skin Bass w. Mandarin Brown Butter & Arugula Salad w. Lemon Castelvetrano Olives & Pickled Grapes

As if you needed more reason to make this than mandarin brown butter…

Brown butter is magical. Full stop. It’s nutty, slightly sweet and oh-so rich. I enjoyed finding different ways to counter that richness in this dish. First by adding citrus to the brown butter, and second by serving with a tart, peppery arugula salad. And I have no doubt you saw ‘pickled grapes’, and went… really? But trust me on this. Slightly tangy and sweet, mixed with creamy castelvetrano olives and brine, a bit of lemon peel. My hope with this dish is to leave you feeling as inspired as I was creating it.

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Crispy Skin Bass with Mandarin Brown Butter & Arugula Salad w. Lemon Castelvetrano Olives & Pickled Grapes

SERVES 2

MANDARIN BROWN BUTTER

• 3/4 stick of grass fed butter (6 Tbsps)

• 4 small mandarins, juiced and strained of solids (4 Tbsps)

SALAD

• 2 fistfuls fresh arugula

• 1/2 cup whole pitted Castelvetrano olives in brine, 3.5 oz (or pits removed)

• 1 tsp extra fine strips of lemon peel

• 20 red seedless grapes, 6.5 oz

• 1 tsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

• Extra virgin olive oil

FISH

• 2 x 8.5 oz striped bass filets with skin, tail ends which tend to be more even thickness all over

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• 1.5 Tbsps neutral oil

First, let’s prepare our pickled grapes, lemon castelvetrano olives and mandarin brown butter.

For the pickled grapes, rinse 20 grapes and then cut in half across and place into a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. Add 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 cup white wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns. Set aside.

Next, roughly chop 1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, removing pits first if need be. Place in a bowl. From a lemon, using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, remove a few pieces of lemon peel. If it has any white pith on the back, be sure to remove that, as it will taste bitter. Cut the lemon peel into fine, thin strips and mix in with the olives. Add 1 tsp of the olive brine and 1 tsp of good olive oil, mix and set aside.

Next, let’s make our brown butter. In a medium sized pan, add 3/4 stick of butter cut into a few small pieces (TIP: using a stainless pan or a pan with a light colored bottom will help you to identify when the brown butter is ready). Place over med heat. Allow the butter to completely melt as you start whisking, to keep the butter moving as it cooks so that it will brown more evenly. It will take a few minutes but don’t walk away or stop whisking. You will first see the butter get foamy before the milk solids suddenly turn caramel brown and it smells incredibly nutty. Straight away remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heat proof container. You can make brown butter 2-3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. It will solidify so just warm to melt before using.

Next squeeze your mandarins through a fine mesh sieve, to remove seeds and solids. Mix together 6 Tbsps of the brown butter with 4 Tbsps mandarin juice. Add a small pinch of kosher salt. This will be the sauce for our fish.

Take your 2 pieces of fish and pat them very dry. Salt and pepper both sides.

In another stainless steel or cast iron pan, add 1.5 Tbsps neutral oil. In order to get crispy skin on the fish we need to make sure the pan is hot enough: when the oil is shimmering, add fish to the pan skin side down. It should sizzle. If it doesn’t, take it out and let it get sufficiently hot. Allow the skin to completely get crispy, about 8 minutes. It should release from the bottom of the pan with just a little help. At this point you should also see that the fish on top is cooking through all around the edges, except for in the center. Remove from the heat and tilting the pan away from you, flip and cook the fish the rest of the way through in the hot oil, a minute or two. If your fish is a thicker cut and still needs more time, put it back over a low heat until cooked through.

Cut fish into two smaller pieces. Drizzle with mandarin brown butter. Serve next to your fresh arugula topped with the pickled grapes and lemon casteltrevano olives. Drizzle arugula salad with a touch of extra virgin olive oil and a little sprinkle of kosher salt.

A Fancy Roast Chicken

It felt like time to make roast chicken exciting again.

First, allow me to make the argument for a whole bird in case you’re still not convinced. Once seasoned, you put it in the oven and forget about it … for an entire hour and half. Talk about leisurely. Out of the oven comes multiple meals (and a veg, too, if you have the forethought), PLUS bones you can use for broth. It’s a no brainer. Raw chicken fears? I’ll address those below.

This recipe was born of one simple goal: roast chicken, deliciousness dialed way up. Start by building flavor from the inside out, stuffing your chicken with herbs, garlic and citrus. I added coriander seeds to the mix, which are tart and flowery, then coated the whole thing in a vibrant, savory spice blend of smoked paprika, kashmiri chili and garlic powder. Yeah, all you need to do when this chicken is ready is try not to drown an entire bowl of rice in the insanely delicious rendered juices.

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A Fancy Roast Chicken

• 4 lb whole Bell & Evans chicken

• 1 whole lemon

• 1 small head of garlic

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp kashmiri chili

• Olive oil

• OPTIONAL: sturdy root vegetable of choice, like potato, sweet potato, parsnip, carrots, etc

• OPTIONAL: medium grain sushi rice for serving

Preheat your oven to 350F. Get out a cast iron large enough to accommodate the entire chicken (10-12 inches). You could also use a large dutch oven or baking dish with high sides. Before you intend to roast your chicken, take it out and let it start to come to room temperature.

Place the chicken in a large bowl so you easily avoid any fear of getting raw chicken on your surfaces. Take off the packaging and remove any giblets stored inside. Pat the chicken dry all over. Set aside.

Next, remove stickers from the lemon, rinse and cut in half across. Cut your head of garlic across to expose the cloves. In a small bowl, combine 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns and 1 tsp whole coriander seeds. Set aside.

In another small bowl, combine 4 Tbsps of olive oil with the remaining spices: 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp Kashmiri chili. Mix well.

If you plan to roast any root vegetables along with your chicken, clean and cut those now and place in the bottom of the cast iron or baking dish. Keep in mind that the veg will cook underneath the chicken for an hour and a half, so stick with bigger, thicker pieces that will do well with a long cook time (as opposed to small and thin).

Using one hand to hold your chicken, use the other to liberally salt both inside and out (yes, sprinkle salt along the inner cavity of the bird). Next stuff the bird with your 2 lemon halves, garlic halves, bayleaf, peppercorns and coriander seeds.

Once stuffed, place the bird into your cast iron or baking dish, on top of any veggies: using a silicone pastry brush, brush the entire chicken with the mixture of oil and spices. Do this here as opposed to in the bowl your chicken was in previously to allow excess oil and spices to just drip into the bottom of the pan and not go to waste.

Make sure to brush underneath any folds of fat near the front and back end of the bird, as well as underneath the wings, legs, etc. Once you’ve used up all of your spice mixture, place chicken right side up, tuck legs and wings close to the bird and stick in the oven for roughly 1.5 hours or until it reaches 165F internal temperature. I do not make chicken without my handy meat thermometer - you’ll never have to worry about either falling ill or overcooking chicken again. A perfectly timed chicken is insanely juicy.

When the chicken is done, let it rest before serving. I like to eat the thighs and drumsticks fresh from the oven, and found they were especially good over a bit of plump sushi rice with lots of the rendered juices drizzled over top. Throw the roasted veg on the plate and you’ve got a meal. Reserve the wings and breasts, and all the other bits you can pull off, which I like to use for a quick chicken salad. And don’t forget when you’re done with the chicken to place the whole carcass in an airtight bag and stick in the freezer. When you’ve made this twice, you’ll be all set for homemade broth.

Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry

Silky, creamy, coconut -y, savory greatness.

The best meals tend to be the accidental ones: one night doing my usual pantry and fridge inventory, searching for dinner, I found some coconut milk, a can of chickpeas and some leftover roasted sweet potato. Could it be a curry? Why not. And 30 minutes later I had this luscious creamy meal.

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Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry

SERVES 1

For Sweet Potatoes

• 1 Medium Sweet Potato, 8.5 oz

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

• Heaping 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• Heaping 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• Freshly ground black pepper

For Curry

• 1/8 small red onion, cut into thin rounds, 1.2oz

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice, or whole - 5-6 berries 

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp tandoori powder

• 1/4 tsp vindaloo spice

• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp curry powder

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• Kosher Salt

• 3 Tbsps neutral oil

• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger 

• 1/2 cup coconut cream (full fat)

• 1 standard size can chickpeas, 15.5 oz

For Serving

• 1/2 cup basmati or other rice (uncooked)

• Fresh cilantro

• Indian tamarind chutney (I like SWAD brand, also available for purchase in NYC HERE)

• Your favorite Indian bread

First we will roast the sweet potatoes: preheat your oven to 400F. Scrub the sweet potato clean and cut into rounds, 1/4 in. thick, and then into quarters. In a bowl toss sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil. To the bowl add your spices: 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, heaping 1/4 tsp both smoked paprika and garlic powder, and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper.

On a baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil and lay sweet potato quarters out in a single layer. Place in the oven for 12-15 mins until golden on the bottom side and then flip. Place back in the oven another 5-10 mins until crispy all over. When they are done, set aside. You can also make the sweet potato 2-3 days in advance and refrigerate.

While your sweet potatoes are baking, get your rice over the heat with a 1 Tbsp of coconut oil, if you have, or olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. When done cooking, cover until ready to serve.

You can also work on the curry: cut your red onion into rounds and then into quarter rounds, finely dicing a little and setting aside for garnish.

In a ramekin or small bowl, combine all of the spices for the curry: 1/4 tsp ground ground allspice (or 5-6 whole berries crushed), 1/4 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp tandoori powder, 1/4 tsp vindaloo spice, 1/8 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

In a pot, heat neutral oil over medium heat. Add your ground spices and let them “bloom”, or cook, in the oil: doing this releases flavor compounds, and helps to distribute flavor evenly through the cooking process.

After a minute or two, when very fragrant, add onions to the pot, stir to coat and cook over a med low heat until onions are soft. Then add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Let them cook over med heat, about 5 mins. 

To the pot add 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp tomato paste, and 1 tsp finely minced ginger. Let cook a few minutes until the tomato paste is caramelized and brown in color.

Add 1/2 cup coconut cream and 1 tsp kosher salt. At the last moment, take your roasted sweet potato quarters and mix into the curry before removing from the heat to serve: having them maintain some of their crispiness adds a great textural difference. Mix and check seasoning, adding salt to taste.  

Serve over warm basmati rice. Finish with fresh cilantro and if you like, drizzle with this amazing tamarind chutney, which brings tartness and heat. Serve with Indian bread like naan.

Vegan Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos

A few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with My Inner Glow. Founded by Kyle Somersall, My Inner Glow brings people together for inspired meditation based events.  When he initially approached me and asked me to cook for one of his upcoming events, I was excited to team up with him, and to put together a menu for the evening.   We started the night outdoors in a beautiful backyard in Kips Bay, Manhattan.  I served soccas, which are thin crepes made of chickpea flour, on parchment paper and adorned them with varying combinations of delicious toppings.  For the main course (wait for it...) we had tacos, which if you know me even on the most introductory level, will likely not surprise you.

I knew I wanted one of the tacos to be vegan/vegetarian friendly, so I decided to revisit a classic combination: sweet potato and black bean.  I deepened the flavor of the black beans with smoked paprika and lots of lime juice, and made them extra creamy by crushing them in the pot slightly while they were cooking.  I made the sweet potatoes spicy AND sweet with serrano chile powder.  And, because I am undoubtedly a condiment & toppings kinda lady, I topped this all off with homemade cashew cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, aleppo pepper and a squeeze of lime for good measure.  Ideally this taco is finished off with one of my favorite salsas, La Fundidora's Humo Salsa.  What is better in life than eating a warm tortilla jam-packed with deliciousness on a balmy May night in New York City?!? 

In the past year, the lowly sweet potato has managed to land itself right up there on my list of top 10 favorite foods.  Why?  Because sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile, satiating and tasty.  In this case, their sweetness perfectly offset the citrusy, savory black beans, and of course, I added some heat to them with chili powder, because to me there's nothing like the combination of sweet, savory & spicy. 

I am someone who loves to layer flavors and ingredients with contrasting mouth feel, so, of course, I added in yet another element: creamy.  Which brings me to another of my new favorite foods: cashew cream.  Insanely easy to make, delicious and dairy free, cashew cream has actually changed my life.  As a life long cheese and sour cream addict, Kite Hill's spreads were the first of the nut-based vegan cheese replacements to pull me away from my dairy addictions, and while this stuff is SO good, it's not cheap.  And while the cost of nuts can also add up, a bag of cashew pieces from Trader Joe's will cost you the same as 1 container of Kite Hill ($6.50), and will render you much more.  All you need is 1 cup of soaked cashews + water (which is free) to make more than 8 ounces of delicious, nutty cashew cream.  As I mentioned before with my Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pesto recipe, it really is an amazing tool to be able to make your own pantry staples at home for a fraction of the cost.  It will only take you a little forethought + 5 minutes or so to blend your way to cashew cream happiness!  And it's worth it - I promise.  

Tacos are best when they have lots of delicious toppings, in my opinion, so don't forget your garnishes, and feel free to add others!!  Grilled corn?  Pickled red onions?  The options are endless.  And of course, don't forget your salsa!!  My suggested salsa pairing is La Fundidora's smokey, delicious Humo Salsa, which I purchase at the Whole Foods here in Chelsea, New York.  If you can't find it, don't worry, Cholula works too!!  I like the Original flavor best, but salsa is a very personal choice, so do what feels right to you.  And most importantly, don't be afraid to eat 2 (or maybe 3) of these tacos in one sitting.

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Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

6 x Corn Tortillas

For Sweet Potatoes

• 1 Large Sweet Potato, diced

• ½ TBSP olive oil

• ¼ TSP serrano chile powder

• ¼ TSP cumin

• Heaping ¼ TSP salt

For Beans

• 1 lime - juice of 1/2 or whole, if half doesn’t bring out the lime flavor enough

• 1 can black beans

• ¼ TSP garlic powder

• ¼ TSP smoked paprika

• ¼ TSP salt 

For Cashew Cream ** PREP NOTE - You will need to soak your cashews overnight

• 1 cup raw cashews or cashew pieces - soaked overnight

• 1/2 cup water

• Pinch of sea salt

Garnishes

• 1 Avocado

• Aleppo Pepper

• Fresh Cilantro

• 1 Lime (for lime wedges)

• Suggested Salsa Pairing: La Fundidora Humo Salsa OR Cholula Original

Let's start by making our cashew cream.  Take your soaked cashews and put into the bowl of a food processor with a 1/2 cup of water and a nice pinch of sea salt (a high speed blender is ideal here if you own one, but a food processor works great too).  Allow the food processor to run for up to 4 minutes, or until the cashew cream is silky (it will take about the half time in a high speed blender).  If using a food processor, stop intermittently to scrape down the sides.  When the cashew cream is finished, pour into a jar and put in the fridge.

Next, you'll want to roast your sweet potatoes.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees while you get to dicing the sweet potato.  I like to roast it on a high temperature so that the sweet potato bits get nice and crispy.  Here is my tactic for dicing the sweet potato: cut into rounds, then pile up 4-5 rounds at a time and dice down into squares/rectangles.  Throw the diced pieces into a mixing bowl as you go.  Once the entire sweet potato is diced, add the olive oil and spices, and toss to coat thoroughly.  Next, you'll want to spread the coated sweet potato bits onto a flat baking sheet (parchment paper optional).  The key here is that the sweet potato is laid out in a single layer, without overlapping any of the pieces. This allows the sweet potato to cook thoroughly all over and get nice and crispy!  Put the sweet potato in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes check the sweet potato, and add more time if necessary.  The sweet potato bits should be golden and crispy around the edges.  It's OK if a few of the smaller pieces get burnt.  You can always separate those pieces after to avoid the bitter flavor.  When the sweet potato is done, put it to the side and turn off the oven.

While the sweet potato is in the oven, you can get the beans ready.  Empty the can of beans into a strainer and rinse off the liquid from the can.  Put the cleaned beans into the sauce pan add the spices and juice of your lime.  You can start with half a lime here, mix and then taste.  The lime should come through distinctively, so if half the lime is not enough, add the other half.  While they start to heat up, use the back of a big spoon (or a potato masher if you have) to slightly mash the beans.  You don't want a total pulp here, but mash until the texture starts to become slightly more broken down and creamy.  When the beans are ready, you can turn the heat down to low so that they stay warm.  If they start to dry out, just add a little vegetable broth or even a splash of water to loosen them.

It's almost time to build our tacos!!  Depending on how small or large your sweet potato is, and how generously you fill, the amount of tacos this renders will vary.  Grab 6-8 corn tortillas, and get ready to char them over an open flame.  Turn on one of the burners on your stove on very low, and grab a pair of tongs.  Put your first tortilla directly on the burner, hovering above the flame.  Heat and slightly char on both sides, about 45 seconds each, using your tongs to flip the tortillas.  Put the warmed tortillas onto a plate as you go.  If you don't have a gas stove, you can char your tortillas in a hot pan.

Once they're all heated, start by spreading beans onto each taco.  Next, top with sweet potato bits.  Add a dollop of cashew cream to each as well as 2 slices of avocado, a few leaves of fresh cilantro, a shake of aleppo paper, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and one of the two suggested salsas.  My favorite is the Humo Salsa, which is sold here in New York at Whole Foods, but if you can't find it, good old Cholula Original works too.

Kale Brussels Sprout Salad w. Pecorino & Toasted Nuts

Kale ain’t boring when you coat it with homemade lemon oil and pecorino cheese.

Don’t forget a sprinkling of warm, crunchy toasted pistachios and walnuts. I’ve never written a “Copycat” recipe before, but this salad stuck with me long after I ate it in the backyard of Aurora Bk, paired with a beautiful glass of Italian red wine and surrounded by twinkling lights. We tend to think of salad as a meal suited for summer, but this combination is so comforting and perfectly suited for when you need a dose of greens during chilly winter months.

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Kale Brussels Sprout Salad with Pecorino and Toasted Nuts

Serves 2

Lemon oil 

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ large lemon, scrubbed clean and peel removed in strips without any bitter white pith

Salad

• 5 med Lacinato or Tuscan kale leaves, cleaned and cut into fine strips

• 5 med Brussels sprouts, rinsed and shaved on a mandolin or finely cut using a sharp knife

• ¾ cup mix of roasted salted pistachios and raw walnuts

• ⅔ cup finely grated Pecorino

Dressing

• 2.5 Tbsps lemon oil

• 1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

• Pinch salt

To make your lemon oil, add olive oil and lemon peel to a small saucepan (make sure the lemon peel has no bitter white pith on it as it can make the oil taste bitter as well). Warm over a low-medium heat for about 20 minutes, watching and turning the heat down if necessary to avoid any bubbles from forming in the oil. Then remove from the heat and let steep 10 minutes, or until oil has reached room temperature. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and discard lemon peel. If you make extra oil than you need, store in a dark jar in a cool place.

Next, clean and finely cut your kale, removing the thick middle stem. Roll the leaves together and chiffonade, or cut into fine strips. Similarly, rinse your brussel sprouts and using a mandolin, shave into thin strips or cut using a sharp knife. Add to a bowl and toss with lemon oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Massage the greens and then place in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes.

Over a medium heat, toast pistachios and walnuts in a dry pan, making sure not to burn, just 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant. In the meantime, finely grate ⅔ cup pecorino cheese.

Remove greens from the fridge and add toasted nuts and most of the grated cheese. Toss gently with your fingers to mix, and serve with a little extra cheese on top. Serve immediately.