Our version of tabouli replaces the traditional bulgur wheat with quinoa.  This salad makes a refreshing summertime lunch, and its nutrient-dense quinoa will keep you going through the heat of the rest of the day!

Ingredients

• 3 cups prepared quinoa (from 1 cup uncooked quinoa)
• 1 large bunch parsley, stemmed and chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 small white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 scallions or spring onions, diced
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately or slightly chilled.

Muhammara is a delectable dip, typically made with roasted aleppo peppers, walnuts, and lemon juice. Being in Texas, however, we mixed things up a bit and used sweet Carmen peppers (from Johnson’s Backyard Garden), pecans, and key lime juice.  The result is amazing!  Note that this recipe calls for pomegranate molasses, which really are a key ingredient.  Look for them at your local Mediterranean grocer (such as Phoenicia in Austin) or in the international food aisle of your grocery store.  You could also use reduced balsamic vinegar as a substitute.  If you can’t find Carmen peppers, use 2 to 3 large red bell peppers in their place.

Texan Muhammara

Ingredients

• 5 Carmen peppers
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup pecans
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon harissa or 1 teaspoon hot pepper powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1/4 cup fresh key lime juice (about 6 key limes)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1.  Place the peppers on a baking sheet and coat lightly with cooking spray.  Broil on high, turning peppers occasionally, until the skins are blistered and blackened evenly.  Place the blackened peppers in a large bowl, cover, and let them steam themselves for about 5 minutes.  Remove the stems, seeds, and skins from all the peppers.
2. In a large pan, lightly toast the pecans.  Don’t burn them, but get a nice even toast so that the pecans become slightly fragrant.
3. Place skinned peppers, toasted pecans, garlic, harissa, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and lime juice in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Salt to taste.  Serve with pita, crackers, sliced cucumbers, or use as a sandwich spread!

This past weekend we hosted a small bourbon tasting with a group of friends at our house. Taylor and I have wanted to get more into and understand the different flavors of bourbon for some time, so this was a great way to sample several nice selections without having to stock our own liquor cabinet to the gills. We prepared several small dishes to pair with the bourbons. First up we had Blistered Shishito Peppers, which have a slight amount of char just like the inside of the bourbon oak barrels. Following the peppers was Smoky Baba Ganoush with carrots and olive bread and sweet, slightly spiced Caramelized Onion Crostini. For a more hearty course, we enjoyed Miniature Mushroom Wellingtons (recipe forthcoming). Last but not least, we had Roasted Peaches with Vanilla Honey Whipped Cream (recipe forthcoming also) for dessert.

As for the bourbons, we sampled Baker’s, Cyrus Noble, Evan Williams 1783, Eagle Rare, Four Roses, Knob Creek 9, Pure Kentucky, and Woodford Reserve.  The flavors of this variety of bourbons ranged from aggressive spice to smooth, silky honey.  We can definitely say that not a single bourbon was was unappreciated.  I personally liked the smoothness of Eagle Rare the best (my own selection for the evening), while Taylor really enjoyed the  spiciness of Knob Creek 9.

Caramelized onions have an incredibly rich flavor and a texture that just melts in your mouth.  Properly caramelizing onions is a very long process, but the result is completely worth it.  The allspice berries give the onions a nice aroma and slight floweriness.

Caramelized Onion Crostini

Ingredients

• 2 pounds onions, sliced into rings
• 2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 allspice berries
• 1 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch thick pieces
• 1 roll chevre goat cheese

Preparation

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan.  Once it is hot, add the onions, but do not have them more than half an inch thick – you can add more as the onions cook down.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the salt, and let the onions reduce.  Continue to add sliced raw onions in batches until all are reduced.
2. Add the allspice berries, reduce heat to very low, and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized.  This will take 40 minutes to 1 hour.  Remember to keep the heat low and be patient.  Remove allspice berries once onions are finished cooking.
3. While the onions are cooking, lay the sliced baguette onto a baking sheet.  Use a brush to lightly coat the top of each piece with the remaining olive oil.  Toast in an oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
4. Once the onions and bread are finished, put a small amount of caramelized onion on each piece of toast.  Put a small piece of chevre on top of each crostini.  Place back in oven for about 5 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then serve.

Baba Ganoush is kind of like hummus, but made with eggplant instead of chickpeas.  This recipe includes broiling the eggplant and using chipotle powder to give it a nice smoky flavor.  Baba ganoush is great as a dip or as a healthy alternative to mayonnaise on sandwiches.  Give it a try!

Smoky Baba Ganoush

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds purple eggplant, stemmed and halved
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the eggplant halves cut-side-down on the sheet and broil on high until the skins are evenly charred.  This should take about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Bake the eggplant, still cut-side-down, at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.  The  eggplant flesh should be extremely soft at this point.
3. Scoop the flesh of the eggplant out from the skins.  Transfer to a large blender or food processor.  Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, chipotle powder, garlic, salt and several twists of black pepper from a mill.  Process until completely smooth.
4. Transfer the puree to a large bowl and mix in the parsley.  Season with additional salt if necessary.  Let cool to room temperature or chill slightly in the refrigerator before serving.

Special thanks to our friend Rob for this recipe idea.

Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

This chilled summer soup is a perfect way to enjoy seasonal fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), quartered
• 1 large green bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1 green tomato, quartered (optional)
• 1 jalapeno, halved and seeded (optional)
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• Olive oil
• 1 medium purple onion, chopped
• 1 large cucumber, chopped
• 1 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Additional finely chopped fresh vegetables (onion, cucumber, corn, etc.) and herbs for garnish

Preparation

1. Place the tomatoes, bell pepper, green tomato, jalapeno and garlic in a large baking dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Broil on high until the vegetables have some light charring – about 8-10 minutes.
2. Put the broiled vegetables, onion, cucumber, lime juice, and vinegar in a large blender and process until smooth.  If the consistency is too thick, you can add additional tomato juice or vegetable broth.
3. Season with salt to taste.  Let the gazpacho cool or chill slightly in the refrigerator before serving.  Serve with  finely chopped fresh vegetables and herbs to garnish each bowl.

Gumbo is an excellent old-school example of American fusion cuisine.  Various traditional recipes include okra brought from Africa, American ingredients like tomatoes and bell peppers, the Native American influence of sassafras, and traditional French cooking methods.  While some purists might scoff at a version without meat or seafood, we think even the staunchest Cajun would enjoy a bowl of this tasty and hearty vegan gluten-free gumbo.

Okra Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup preferred vegan butter substitute
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound okra, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 3 medium red tomatoes, diced
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans
• 4 cups prepared vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 5 allspice berries
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon gumbo filé powder (ground sassafras – recommended optional since it causes liver cancer)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Prepare a roux by melting the butter substitute in a medium pan over medium heat. Once melted, reduce temperature to low and whisk in rice flour.  Cook and continue whisking until the roux has a thick texture and smells slightly nutty, about three minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot saute onions, garlic, bell pepper in olive oil over medium-high heat until the volume reduces and onions are nearly translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Add okra, tomatoes, and allspice berries to the saute and stir. Reduce heat to low and allow okra to soften, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
4. While the okra is cooking, return the roux to low heat and whisk in 2 cups of stock. It should have a thick, creamy texture without chunks.
5. Add the remaining stock and the roux to the gumbo. Add oregano, thyme, bay leaves, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook the gumbo for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.
6.  After the gumbo has simmered, stir in filé powder and remove from heat.
7. Serve over prepared rice with your favorite Louisiana hot sauce.

Amaranth, generally grown for its superfood-quality seeds, also produces delicate and delicious edible greens.  Amaranth greens, with their colorful leaves containing dashes of phytonutrient-rich purple and red are also quite healthy, and they’re attractive to boot.  These greens can be used as a substitute for spinach in many cooked dishes or raw salads.  This recipe keeps it simple and is a nice easy introduction for those who are new to amaranth greens.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 bunch amaranth greens, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy pan.
2. Once the oil is hot and moves freely around the pan, add the diced garlic.  Saute for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the amaranth greens and stir frequently until they are wilted, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes, tossing the greens a few more times to distribute the vinegar and pepper.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove the cooked greens from heat and serve immediately.

Tomatillos

Tomatillos  are a type of fruit closely related to tomatoes with similar uses. Two good things to know about tomatillos is that the husk is inedible and that the outside of the fruit inside the husk may be a little slimy to the touch. This doesn’t mean the fruit is bad, just that you may want to wash it before using.

For me, there are two major differences between tomatillos and tomatoes. First, tomatillos have less acid and I describe them as tart and fruity compared to tomatoes which are (at least in my vocabulary) bright and savory. Second, tomatillos are high in pectin which is the same carbohydrate that is used as a gelling agent in most jellies and jams. So, again, comparing them to tomatoes, if you use tomatillos in a salsa or stew they will have a somewhat thicker consistency, whereas tomatoes are typically juicier.

If you are buying fresh tomatillos make sure that they are firm and that the color, typically green, is vibrant. You may also be able to find whole or crushed tomatillos canned. These can be good for some recipies, but as usual, I prefer the fresh fruit.

Shishito peppers are a Japanese variety of small chilis.  Though generally not spicy, every once in a while you might get one that has a touch of heat to it.  Shishito peppers have somewhat thin flesh and very thin skin, and their taste has a delicate bitterness to it.  In Austin, you can get wonderful shishito peppers from Johnson’s Backyard Garden during the late spring/early summer.  Try this super simple recipe as an appetizer or quick snack!

Blistered and Marinated Shishito Peppers

Ingredients

• 12-15 shishito peppers, whole with stems attached
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 1/2 tablespoons light [gluten-free] soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon Japanese rice vinegar
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Wash the shishito peppers in warm water, and then pat completely dry with a towel.
2. In a large, heavy pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
3. While the oil is heating, mix the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, soy sauce, water, vinegar, and salt in a shallow bowl.
4. Once the oil is very hot and moves freely around the bottom of the pan, throw in the peppers.  Make sure to not crowd the pan – you only want a single layer of peppers (you can make additional batch if necessary).
5. Let the peppers cook, without stirring, for about 1 minute. Stir quickly to move the peppers to an uncooked side, then let cook another minute.  Continue cooking, stirring continuously for another two minutes.  The skin of the peppers should be blistered and brown.
6. Remove the peppers and place directly in the marinade.  Let sit for about 5 minutes, then serve!

Variation:  Instead of using the marinade, you can just remove the blistered peppers to a small serving dish and sprinkle with coarse salt.