Guys, today I have a lovely salsa recipe as well as a little gush about Saltedtv.com. I’ve become kind of obsessed with Salted. Basically it is an online cooking school with hundreds of videos presented by 75 professional chefs (some of whom I’ve even heard of before). And it’s where I got today’s recipe for pico de gallo. Since joining a week ago, I’ve spent practically every break during work watching videos and they have everything. Everything I need to know and everything I didn’t know I wanted to know. 

The first video I watched was about how to make an omelette. An omelette is one of those things that seems easy but takes secret finesse and practice. After watching the video I went home and made omelettes for dinner. They didn’t come out perfectly, as I broke them taking them out of the pan – but they were perfectly yellow and fluffy which is something I haven’t done before. Usually, my omelettes get over cooked and browned on the outside. So see, I’m learning, which is exciting.

There are also courses on simple things like coring an apple, trendy things like using a spiralizer (which I both scorn and covet), and difficult things like how to stuff chicken wings. You can search videos by ingredient, chef, type of dish, and my favorite – mood. If you are feeling adventurous, romantic, or playful you can search for that!

Finally, in addition to one-off videos they also have courses with videos that go together. They have introduction courses and courses specific to a cuisine or holiday. I watched a course on grilled cheese, which may sound silly but my mind was blown. I had never thought of putting cheese outside the sandwich too. There are a bunch of other reasons I like this site, but I don’t need to go on and on. In short, I think Salted is totally brilliant. If you’re intrigued and curious about joining, consider doing so through the links in this post or the image in the side bar. I would great appreciate it because if you do join through those avenues, I’ll get a small commission for referring you. Oh and also, if you join you’ll get one month free and then after that it’s just $9.99 per month.

Ok, no enough of that and now on to pico de gallo. The other day Ryan and I watched Jamie Oliver’s TED talk and it got us thinking about healthy snacks and lunches. We talked about it a bit and decided we should try to incorporate more healthy, easy, vegetable heavy-recipes into the blog and into our diets. So, that evening as I laid in bed, I brainstormed recipe ideas and thought of salsa. Sure, not a whole meal but it’s easy, healthy, and vegetable based. About ten minutes later when I was 80% asleep Ryan came to bed and said, “I think you should make salsa.” From my groggy state I said, “I was just thinking that.” To which, Ryan said something surprised and confused because I was basically asleep so how could I be thinking about salsa? But, I liked that we were in sync so I was definitely going to make salsa. 

I went online to Salted and found a video tutorial for pico de gallo. Not only did I learn how to make this dish, but I learned an interesting fact. Pico de gallo means “rooster’s beak.” Originally people ate this with their hands using a pinching scooping movement that looked like a beak.

Anyway, I love this kind of salsa because it’s so simple but wonderfully delicious. I love the big chunks of vegetables, the crunch from the onions, the heat from the jalapenos, and just the overall bright flavor from using fresh vegetables. The salty mushy tomato gunk that’s in most jarred salsa can’t hold up to freshly made pico de gallo. Ryan and I had this with taco salad for dinner and plain with chips for snack. While I was cooking I put a little bowl out for snacking and Ryan said, “I’m so happy! This is delicious!” I’m not sure if there is higher praise. Also, this is the easiest thing ever to make. All you have to do is chop and stir. So, what are you waiting for? Go make this right now. Seriously, I’ve made it twice in 24 hours and it’s nearly all gone.

Messy level: This is even neater than a one spoon recipe. All you have to do is chop and mix. Practically no mess and everything can go in the dishwasher afterward. It’s hassle-free and sure to be a crowd pleaser. What is better than that?

Pico de Gallo

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Serves: 2-4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 plum tomatoes, ¼ inch chop
• ½ red onion, diced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded (optional) and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup of chopped cilantro leaves
• juice of ½ lime
• salt, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl mix together the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and half of the jalapenos.
2. Once all of that is well mixed add the cilantro and lime, gently stir together.
3. Taste. Do you want it spicier? Add the rest of the jalapenos.
4. Taste. Do you want a little more zip? Add some salt, about ¼-1/2 teaspoon should be fine.
5. Stir so everything is well mixed.
6. Serve as a garnish or with chips as a salsa.

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I realized when I wrote about Old Bay Crackers that I had never posted about crab dip. How could that be?! I am constantly writing about crabs and Old Bay, therefore this is a giant oversight. Although, if I’m honest this recipe is basically the inside of crab grilled cheese only with less cheddar and more cream cheese. Still delicious, obviously.

Crab dip is seriously easy to make, but because it’s crab it has a special fancy feeling. Sure, crab is a bit expensive but all the other ingredients are cheap so making this shouldn’t break the bank. I love making crab dip for parties because it’s the kind of thing people are excited to nibble on. It’s also great if there are leftovers because then I get to take it to work for lunch. And let’s be honest, isn’t it a great feeling when you get excited at work because of what is in your lunch?!

Making crab dip is seriously the easiest thing. You mix all the ingredients together in a bowl then bake it in a small-ish dish and that’s it. That’s it! Just a little stirring and time and you will have bubbling, warm, cheesy, crab dip. It’s so easy, and so tasty, you really could make this any time and not just for a party. And it’s just so… snackable. I had it on the counter with cut up bread next to it and every time Ryan or I passed by we’d just scoop up a little bit.

But, will you allow me to nitpick for a moment? I really wish that I had orange cheddar cheese. That might sound crazy, but hear me out. Orange cheddar cheese is the cheese of my youth and the color feels familiar. Here in London, cheddar cheese is absolutely delicious and perfect, but it’s white. Flavorwise it’s often the same, but I think the orange cheese gives an aesthetically pleasing color contrast.

Want to know why cheddar is orange? Grass fed cows can get beta-carotene through the grass that they eat. That can make their milk look a little yellow or orange, and that color gets transferred to the cheese. People began to realize that yellow/orange cheddar tasted better (and could fetch a higher price) so some cheese makers started dying their cheese with various food colorings to trick people. Today American cheddar is still being dyed orange and somehow it’s gotten carried too far because it’s way too orange. If you’re curious, you can read more about this here and here.

Regardless of your cheese color, this is guaranteed to be a hit. Serve with crackers or slices of a baguette.

Messy level: So clean. For prep you’ll need a knife, cutting board, bowl, and spoon – and all of that can be put in the dishwasher. Bake the dip in a dish you’re happy to serve from and that’s one less dish to use. Really, this dip is hassle and mess free.

Crab Dip

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Serves: fills an 8x8 pan

Ingredients

• 8 oz crab meat
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little more to sprinkle on top)
• 8 oz cream cheese (I recommend chive cream cheese)
• 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Old Bay (plus a little more to sprinkle on top)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C
2. Put all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until everything is well coated.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings are fits your preferences.
4. Pour everything into a 8x8 inch dish and spread it out so the dip is about 1 inch thick. Alternatively you could use a smaller or larger dish depending on what you have. If you use something smaller add a little more cooking time. If you use something larger decrease your cooking time.
5. Sprinkle a little extra cheese and Old Bay on the top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. It should be bubbling with a slightly darker crust on the top.
7. Let cool for a few minutes so you don't burn your tongue!
8. Serve with crackers, bread, or a spoon!

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I have been craving mussels for weeks. It started when we were in Paris and I saw people eating a bowl full of mussels outside of a charming cafe. It continued after I was in Greenwich and we went out for fish and chips and I saw a server bring mussels to a nearby table. Every time I saw them they looked so good, but for some reason I wasn’t eating them! Why wasn’t I eating mussels?!

So, I took matters into my own hands and decided to make mussels at home. When Ryan and I lived in Arlington, VA we used to like a place called Fatty Shorty’s (it no longer exists). We would get green curry mussels with bread and sausages slathered with mustard and topped with onions. Although the place didn’t last long, we thought it was delicious and those mussels were the inspiration for making this recipe. 

Making mussels at home is something that sounds a bit scary, and I think that’s because there are so many rules associated with mussels. When you buy them, you want to remove any that are chipped or already open. You want to clean them to get the silt out. And you need to remove the beards, but in a certain way so you don’t prematurely kill it. Then, once they are cooked you don’t want to eat any that haven’t opened. See, so many rules?!

But in fact, mussels are really simple to clean and prepare, quick to make, and delicious to eat. The longest part, and it’s hardly strenuous, is making a flavorful and complex broth that you’ll use to steam the mussels. Then, once you put the mussels in to steam, it takes just minutes (2-6 minutes). It’s glorious and quick. And then you can slurp up all that broth using a spoon or the empty mussel shells. In fact, my number one recommendation for making mussels at home is that you also buy a nice baguette so you can use the bread to sop up the amazing broth you worked so hard to create. I was silly and forgot nice bread so Ryan and I had to use hot dog buns.

Also, if you like mussels but fear making them at home, here’s one last plug: I bought 1 kilogram of mussels for £4 from my local fish monger. Yeah I went to a fish monger and not the grocery store, I’m cool like that. When you go out to eat, a bowl full of mussels can be pretty expensive and I’m always left wanting more. Make these at home and you’ll have enough mussels for 4 people for under £10. Can’t get much better than that.

Cleaning process learned from Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.

Messy level: Slightly messy largely because of the cleaning process. Otherwise, all you have to do is a little cutting and everything else is cooked in one large pot.

Coconut Curry Mussels

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds mussels
• 8 sprigs cilantro, leaves and stems separated
• 4 garlic cloves, divided
• 2 small thinly sliced shallots, divided
• ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• zest from 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• salt
• 1 15oz can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
• 1 stalk of lemon grass, cut in 1" pieces
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 serrano chili, thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove any mussels that are cracked or already opened. Put the remaining mussels in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let it sit for 10 minutes. This is done to clean them.
2. Spoon out the mussels. Don't pour them out otherwise the silty water will just go back on to the clean mussels.
3. Remove the beards from the mussels. Do this by pulling the beard toward the hinge. More info can be found here. Ok, now your mussels are ready to cook!
4. In a food processor combine the cilantro stems, 2 garlic cloves, 1 shallot, chili flakes, lime zest and a pinch of salt. Pulse until everything is finely chopped and combined.
5. Scoop 2 tablespoons of coconut milk into a large pot. Add the vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat until very hot.
6. Add the remaining garlic, remaining shallots, green curry paste, lemongrass, and everything from the food processor to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes. It should start smelling nice.
7. Add the remaining coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce to the pot. Turn the heat up a bit and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes. Taste and season as desired.
8. Add the mussels to the pot. Give them a stir and cover. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until all the mussels are open.
9. Once the mussels are cooked, stir in the cilantro leaves, lime juice, and serrano chili.
10. Serve with bread and eat immediately

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I like leftovers. I love having yesterday’s dinner for lunch because something warm and satisfying is often better than a pb&j that got squashed in my purse. While Ryan was in South Africa, I decided I didn’t want to cook every night of the week so I wanted to make something that would yield a lot of leftovers. Meatloaf seemed like a hearty and delicious option. And this recipe fit the bill. I had it for a few days of lunch, and there was even some left over for Ryan to eat when he returned to London tired and hungry.

In my search for a tasty meatloaf recipe, I came across one from Yotam Ottolenghi. To be honest, I’m intrigued and intimidated by Ottolenghi recipes. Yotam Ottolenghi is an Israeli chef based in London. He has multiple restaurants and many cookbooks. His food tends to be influenced by Israeli and Mediterranean flavors. And he’s well known for creating delicious vegetable based recipes. Obviously I’ve ignored the vegetable part and gone straight for the meaty recipes. 

For my birthday last year, Ryan and I went to his restaurant on Upper Street and it was very good. I also felt, it was slightly hyped up. I was expecting to have my mind blown by the food, but everything was served small plate style, and it was kind of expensive and overall I felt that the cost didn’t match up to my expectation. But, I will say the dessert was amazing. The window display overflowed with dessert options, each looking so tempting it was hard to choose. My overall takeaway of the experience was that everything we ate was a combination of interesting and unusual textures and flavors.

And the same is true for the recipes in his cookbooks. When I was first learning to cook, I wanted to get ideas about how to do more with vegetables. I borrowed his book Plenty from the library and I was intimidated. Some of the ingredient lists were a long and had items that I wasn’t familiar with and wasn’t sure I wanted to buy. I wasn’t ready for risk taking and complex cookery.

So when I came across this meatloaf recipe, I was nervous. I read through the recipe and thought, yeah I can do this. Sure, it has some ingredients I wouldn’t usually put in meatloaf, like cinnamon or pine nuts. But, I was willing to try something new. And in fact, I think this is a perfect starter Ottolenghi recipe. Even though the ingredient list is a bit long, it includes items that are all familiar and seasonings you probably already have in your house. I think this recipe will push you out of your comfort zone, but only just the right amount. I thought the texture and combination of this meatloaf was fantastic and really different from the usual slab you’d get at a diner. This recipe also made me receptive to trying other Ottolenghi recipes. This one went well, so I feel confident enough to go back to Plenty and try to tackle some more complex recipes and learn to do awesome things with vegetables.

The original recipe (found here) includes recipe for a yogurt-tomato salsa. I didn’t make that, but you might want to consider it. The first day I made this the meatloaf was so moist that I didn’t need any gravy, ketchup, salsa, or sauce. It was delicious just plain. But as with all meatloaf, after a few days in the fridge it started to get a little dry and would have benefited from the salsa. Since I didn’t make it, I just used barbecue sauce and that was delicious as well.

Finally, this recipe asks you to grate some tomatoes and an onion. I highly, highly, highly recommend using a food processor. I grated the onion using a box grater and started profusely crying. Seriously, I had to stop occasionally because I couldn’t see. Use a food processor and save yourself!

Messy level: The assembly for this recipe is fairly straightforward. You mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then press it into a large pan. It’s the prep where you get messy. You’ll need to do a fair bit of chopping and then the grating requires a food processor which is more equipment to clean. The actual food won’t get everywhere as you cook, but you will have a pile of dishes at the end.

Beef, Lamb and Bulgur Meatloaf

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 150g/ ⅔ cup bulgur wheat
• 400g/ 14 oz ground lamb (if you go for a full pound of meat that's ok)
• 400g/ 14 oz ground beef (if you go for a full pound of meat that's ok)
• 1½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 20g/ ¾ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 20g/ ¾ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 60g pine nuts, roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut in half and roughly grated (discard the skins)
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Put the bulgur in a medium bowl. Cover with 2 cups of warm water and let soak for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
3. Line a 8x12" pan with parchment paper.
4. Drain the bulgur and press it to squeeze out excess moisture.
5. In a large bowl, add the bulgur, lamb, beef, allspice, cinnamon, salt, grated onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, pine nuts, and grated tomato. Mix well until everything looks evenly distributed.
6. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Use your hands to press the mixture down so it is tightly packed and even across the pan.
7. Brush the top of the meatloaf with a little bit of olive oil (less than 1 tablespoon should do it).
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until brown on the top and cooked through.
9. Let cool slightly, then serve.

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I have a confession. I’m probably not going to watch the Super Bowl. Sure, I had fantasies of having friends over for a big American Super Bowl party with lots of delicious food. But the game starts at 11:30pm. On a Sunday. When I have to work the next day. Also, I don’t care about either team – and usually that’s no problem – because of the commercials. But I won’t even get to see the commercials! And also, I like sleep, so I’ll probably do my usual and be in bed by 10:00pm.

But, my friend Rachel asked for a chili recipe and I thought, “oooo, sounds good.” So I decided I can still eat yummy Super Bowl foods without watching the game. And chili is so lovely this time of year when it’s cold and dreary outside. Also, I’ve never made chili before and it felt like it’s one of those things I should try out. I couldn’t find any Fritos, although I didn’t look too hard, so it might not be the most authentic American chili. Or as my friend Charlotte said, “chili without Fritos is just kind of pointless.” But, maybe Fritos are pointless. Do you ever eat them with anything besides chili? I don’t. I’m starting to get off topic. Let’s get back to chili. 

I decided to  forget the Fritos, and step my chili up to the next level by putting it in a bread bowl. Obviously, bread bowls are awesome. Unless you’re gluten in tolerant, and then I guess maybe not awesome. But I love bread bowls. It feels so decadent to have so much bread. It also reminds me of Panera, which I know isn’t fancy, but I still kind of love it. Chili is also great in a bread bowl because if you rip the bread too much the chili doesn’t flow all that fast, and so won’t get everywhere. To me, this was a perfect stick-to-your-ribs, cold-winter-night, eating-in-front-of-the-television-underneath-a-blanket sort of food. And there’s totally a market for that kind of meal right?

I also made tiny bread bowls and gigantic bread bowls, which was fun and sort of hilarious. It looks like mama and baby bread bowls. But, if you were ever having a party you could also make small individual bread bowls and use that as a way to serve chili or soup. Also the bread bowl is really easy to make, but somehow feels really fancy. Cut off the top, about 2 inches down. Set the top aside. Scoop out the middle of the bread leaving an edge about 3/4″ thick. You can scoop it out with a spoon, your hands, or get things started with a knife and then some combination of those utensils. Just don’t make the edges of the bread too thin. Eat the bread insides or let them get dried out and turn them into homemade bread crumbs.

And while we’re talking recipes and methods, I want to say, don’t take the recipe too seriously. Taste as you go and adjust as you like. The way I’ve made it, there’s a little bit of a lip-tingling heat, but it’s not too spicy. I’ve also added a bit of barbecue sauce to counteract the spice and add just a tang of sweetness. You want more sweetness, and more barbecue sauce. More spice? Add more chilies or chili powder. You can also add beer, salt, different beans, combinations of beans. The world is your oyster, do what you like.

Final thought: if you are watching the Super Bowl this weekend, I want to know about the commercials. I can find out the score from Google, but I can’t gossip about the best commercials without you. So, please be a dear, and come back to the blog and post below your favorite commercials. Link to a YouTube video if you like. I wanna know what was hilarious, or awkward, or smart. I also want to know how often Budweiser brought out the Clydesdales, because you can always count on that commercial. I’ll be sure to give a shout out to everyone who shares a commercial with me. Thanks!

This recipe was inspired by the Pioneer Woman Cooks’ Frito Chili Pie.

Messy level: So easy and clean! Everything is in one pot and you basically just heat it and let it simmer. And you can let it simmer for however long you want. Couldn’t be more hassle free.

Chili in a Bread Bowl

 

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup barbecue sauce
• 2 14-15oz can of diced tomatoes
• 2 green chilies, minced
• 2 14oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• grated cheddar cheese, optional for toppings
• 1 red onion, minced, optional for toppings
• a roll of bread for each person you're serving

Instructions

1. In a large pot, over medium high heat, saute the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onion starts to get soft and translucent.
2. Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until browned.
3. Add the diced oregano, cumin, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, diced tomatoes, and green chilies. Mix well, then cover and lower the heat. Let it all simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Now add the beans. Stir to combine. Let it simmer again for at least 30 minutes - or until you're happy with it and are ready to eat.
5. While the chili is simmering, prepare your bread bowl. Cut horizontally across the bread roll, about 2 inches down. This is your lid.
6. Then using a spoon, a knife, or your fingers, carve out the middle of the bread. Be sure to leave an edge of about ¾ inch so that you don't have any seepage.
7. When the chili is done, spoon it into the bread bowl. Top with cheddar cheese and raw onion, if using.
8. Serve and watch everyone be satisfied and happy.

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When I made Greek salad, I told you that I’ve finally decided to use Twitter. I’ve been skeptical about using Twitter, but then I saw someone tweeted about starting a Cookbook Club and I thought, “what a good idea, I guess Twitter is useful.”

The method behind a cookbook club is that the group picks a book and throughout the month, or two, or whatever the time period is, the group cooks a few things from the book. Then on the meeting day everyone in the club has a potluck and brings a dish using a recipe from the book. I think this is awesome because it would force me to cook a few things from the book and it would also allow me to try other dishes without having to do the work. Sounds like perfection. Also, when I’ve done normal book clubs, we never talk about the book anyway.

The most recent addition to my cookbook collection, and the one I’m itching to cook through is the Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook. It was given to me as a Christmas present by my wonderful friend Charlotte. She is the kind of amazing and thoughtful friend who sends me flowers on my birthday and also when I’m having nervous breakdowns about being an adult. She sends me care packages with American candies and tiny models of ramen noodles. And I in turn, I send her boxes with no card inside and I buy British sweets and leave them in the bottom of my closet and forget to mail them. Anyway, when I got this book I was so excited and sent Charlotte this crazy picture.

This book is awesome. I’ve literally snuggled up in bed and poured through the book as my bed time reading. The writing is funny and they don’t take themselves too seriously. The recipes tell you when you can make substitutions, when to be precise, and when you can be a little messy. All the recipes are healthy and vegetarian – but they never come off snobby for being healthy or too much like hippies for adding chia seeds or tofu. The authors are really encouraging that anyone can eat healthy, they recognize when they’re asking you to use “scary” ingredients, and the recipes are so full of flavor you won’t miss meat.

Seriously. For example, today’s soup packs a real kick. It has a tomato based and chickpeas to cool it down, but there’s a kick of garlic, chili powder, and jalapenos. It’s a nice soup on to warm you up on a cold winter day. It would be even better for when you’re sick because it would clear your sinuses right out. You can definitely turn down the spice if you prefer, but as written – it’s really spicy. All in all, it’s packed with veggies and you won’t need unusual ingredients. Pair it with a corn tortilla on the side, and you’ve got a meal with some zip.

Messy level: This recipe is a hard one to rate. You’ll need one big soup pot, a knife, and a cutting board. If you have an immersion blender this is a lot easier, and cleaner. If you don’t, you’ll have to use a blender which takes more time and there might be spills.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

 

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Author: Thug Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (I used red), chopped
• 1-2 jalapenos, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 2½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 2½ teaspoons chili powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 14.5 oz (400g) can diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 4-8 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch squares (the more you use, the thicker the soup)
• 1½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1, 14oz/400g can of chickpeas
• chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, cook the onion in the olive oil. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the onion is a little bit translucent.
2. Add the carrot and bell pepper to the pot. Cook for another 3 minutes, until everything started to get golden.
3. Add the jalapenos, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt to the pot. Stir for about 30 seconds. Everything will get pretty fragrant now!
4. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste to the pot and stir so that everything is well mixed.
5. Pour in the broth and bring everything to a simmer.
6. Once it is simmering, add the lime juice and tortilla squares. Let everything simmer for about 10 minutes to soften the tortillas. Stir occasionally.
7. Remove the soup from the heat. If you have an immersion blender, blend everything until smooth. If you don't, then use a regular blender and blend the soup in batches.
8. Pour some soup in a bowl, spoon some chickpeas in the center of the bowl, and sprinkle cilantro on top if you're using. Serve.

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For Christmas my sister-in-law bought me a box of conversation cards with questions all about food. Some of the questions are a little bit silly like, “has our love of bacon gone too far?” (Yes, bacon is nice, but bacon maple frosting is too far) Some are really fun to think about like, “what would you serve if Julia Child came to diner?” (Probably something Puerto Rican since maybe she wouldn’t have eaten much of that before)

One question I really like is, “what do you eat when you’re alone?” I like this question because the answer encompasses a whole range of foods. When I’m lazy, I like popcorn, a spoonful of Nutella, and cheese and crackers. Sometimes when I’m alone I like to try something really difficult to make because then if it comes out badly, no one else knows. But my favorite thing to eat when I’m on my own is Greek salad. I love Greek salad. It’s crunchy and salty. It’s pretty healthy, but it’s got some indulgences with the olives and cheese. And I just love all the flavors and I eat it whenever I can. When I was in grad school writing my thesis, I’d run down to the deli beneath my apartment and grab a salad on a break. When, it was too loud and crazy at when I worked at Ford’s Theatre, I’d run to Cosi for lunch and get one. And now I always search for it on takeaway menus.

And also, I eat Greek salad when I’m alone because Ryan doesn’t like olives and feta. But sometimes I can’t resist, and I make it for dinner anyway. I wanted to make it a little heartier, so I decided to substitute the greens for bulgur, but still keep all the yummy other vegetables. This was the first time I ever had bulgur and it was so good! It’s small like quinoa, but chewier like rice. Also I like that it’s got an uneven shape.

To be honest, although it’s a straightforward salad recipe, I feel a little nervous sharing this! I have two Greek coworkers who sometimes ready this blog, and I’m changing up a traditional dish. That feels somewhat taboo. But in truth, this recipe is like tabbouleh and regular Greek salad fell in love and had a delicious hybrid child. So it’s like two wonderful Greek recipes in one. This is yummy, a nice side dish, and Ryan even liked it (without the feta and olives).

One last thing before the recipe – I have a tip on cutting cherry tomatoes. Cutting a lot of small circular foods is kind of annoying and time consuming. To speed up the process, take two lids from food storage containers. Put your tomatoes (or grapes or pitted cherries or your circular whatever) between the two container lids. Make sure your knife is sharp, then carefully cut horizontally between the two lids. Then boom, you’ve got lots of tomato halves in one slice. Some might be a little uneven, but for a salad that’s not really important. I really like this trick because I think it makes preparing a salad less tedious and it’s a fun trick. Sorry, I don’t have a trick for cutting tomatoes into quarters.

Unrelated to this post, after three years of having a Twitter account, I’ve decided to finally start using it. For real, I’m going to start tweeting and stuff. Help me get up and running! You can follow me @mariel621. Thanks!

Messy level: Salad is so easy and neat – if you plan it properly. You’ll need a cutting board, knife, and a saucepan for the bulgur. You could use a separate bowl to mix it all together and serve, but if you have a large enough saucepan you can do it in there. I didn’t have a large enough saucepan, then I transferred it to a mixing bowl that was too small, and then I finally got it right and put it in a big enough bowl. Don’t make my mistakes, and it’s a one spoon recipe.

Bulgur Greek Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Serves: 6 large servings

Ingredients

• 1½ cups bulgur
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes in quarters
• ½ cup cubed cucumber
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (or in strips if you prefer)
• ½ red onion, cut into matchsticks
• ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• oregano (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the bulgur and water. Bring it to boil.
2. Once the water has come to a boil, cover, and lower the heat. Simmer until all the water is absorbed. It should take about 15-20 minutes, but check what the package says.
3. While the bulgur is cooking is cooking chop up all of your vegetables
4. When the bulger is finished, fluff it with a fork and let cool to room temperature (or just slightly warm).
5. Stir the vegetables into the bulgur.
6. Pour the olive oil and balsamic over the bulgur and vegetables. Taste and adjust as you prefer. I like only a little balsamic to give it a nice tang, but not over power the dish.
7. Serve and sprinkle with a little oregano (dried or fresh) for garnish.

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Almost every time I go to a book store, I look at Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I hold it in my hand and I think about buying it. Julia Child is an iconic American cook and it feels like this book is one of those books you’re supposed to have if you are a cooking enthusiast. But, I never buy it. I never buy the book because usually it’s a gigantic hardcover and costs a ton of money and will be frustrating to lug home. However, that day in the book store they had both volumes of Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a slim paperback form. The book was inexpensive, the size of  novel, and would easily fit into my purse.

I had a quick internal debate with myself. It went something like this: This is a good deal, I should buy it. Should I buy it? No, I have enough cookbooks. But this is not just any cookbook. It’s Julia Child’s cookbook. And it’s so small and a good price. Should I get both volumes? No, then I’ll definitely have too many and both won’t qualify as an impulse buy. I’ll get just the one. What if it’s written with European measurements since I’m buying it in London? Whew, no it’s not. Ok I’ll get it. Should I check on Amazon to see if I get a better deal? No, if I do that I’ll definitely talk myself out of this. Ok, let’s buy it.

Does all of that back and forth make me sound neurotic? Maybe. But, now I had the book and it was time to start cooking. No surprise, the book is really nice. The tone is straightforward but helpful and encouraging in the notes and directions. There are tables for weight and temperature conversions, helpful illustrations, and information on what types of tools to use.

I decided to start with beef bourguignon, in part because it sounds delicious, and in part because in the movie Julie and Julia it looks so decadent. Honestly though, I have no idea how Julie Powell ever cooked through this book because some of these recipes take a really long time! Like this one, it takes all day. You should eat lunch while making this, and not just have an ice cream cone. If you just have an ice cream cone you’ll be ravenous by the time this is done. I may or may not have done that. But I’m an adult, I can have ice cream for breakfast if I want to.

Truly, this stew is a lazy Sunday kind of meal because it takes over three hours to prepare. In the end it’s worth it, because all that time creates a complex and layered broth that is so lovely. The meat becomes tender, the onions soft and herbal in flavor, and the mushrooms (which I usually hate) have a nice silky texture.

Recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle. Also, a warning, this recipe has two mini-recipes within the larger recipe.

Messy level: I found this one hard to quantify. You can definitely reuse pots and pans in this recipe. And, while the stew is in the oven for 3 hours, there is plenty of time for  leisurely clean up. However, even though my kitchen didn’t look like a disaster at the end of cooking, I know I used a lot of knives, cutting boards, pots, pans, and general utensils. Even just writing out the instructions, I was exhausted by the amount of dishes needed. I just had to give this four spoons.

Beef Bourguignon

 

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 oz streaky bacon (you can also buy this pre-cut into lardons)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds lean stew beef, cut in 2 inch cubes
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 oz flour (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1¼ pints (about 3 cups), red wine (I used Chianti)
• ¾ pint (slightly less than 2 cups), beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled

brown-braised onions

• 18 small onions (about 1" long)
• 1 oz butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ¼ pint (slightly more than ½ cup) beef stock or dry wine (red or white, I used white)
• salt and pepper
• 4 parsley sprigs
• ½ bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon thyme

sauteed mushrooms

• 2 oz butter
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, cut in quarters

Instructions

1. Cut bacon into lardons (sticks ¼x1½" long)
2. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add the bacon to the simmering water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and dry.
3. Preheat oven to 450/230°.
4. In a saucepan, saute the bacon in oil over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes. This is to brown them slightly.
5. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
6. Make sure the fat is still hot, then add the beef a few pieces at a time. Cook until browned on all sides.
7. Remove beef from fat and put with the bacon.
8. In the same fat, now cook the vegetables until browned.
9. Put the bacon, beef, and vegetables in a large casserole dish. Season with the salt and pepper, then mix.
10. Now sprinkle with the flour and mix again to lightly coat everything in flour.
11. Place casserole in the oven for 4 minutes.
12. Remove from oven, mix the meat again. Return to the oven for 4 more minutes.
13. Remove casserole from the oven, and turn it down to 325/160°.
14. Stir in the wine. Then add enough beef stock so the meat is just covered.
15. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs.
16. Cover the casserole, and place in the oven.
17. Cook for 3-4 hours. The meat is done when a fork can easily piece it.
18. While the beef is cooking, first prepare the brown-braised onions. Peel the onions (you can do this straight away or by putting them into boiling water for 10 seconds, then it's easier)
19. In a large saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil. Heat until the fat is bubbling a bit.
20. Add the onions and saute over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Roll the onions around so they brown as evenly as possible.
21. Then, pour in the liquid (stock or wine). Add the herbs (parsley, thyme, and bay leaf) to the liquid.
22. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 40-50 minutes. The onions are done when they are tender but aren't mushy, and the liquid has evaporated.
23. Next start on the sautéed mushrooms. Clean out the frying pan you used for the onions. Heat up the butter and oil over high heat. Once the butter is done foaming, add the mushrooms.
24. Toss the mushrooms for about 8 minutes, until the mushrooms are starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
25. Ok your meat is finally done! Using a sieve, or a slotted spoon, separate the meat and vegetables from the broth.
26. Put the broth in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Skim off the fat. Heat the broth until it lightly coats the back of a spoon.
27. Plate the beef and vegetables. Pour the broth over meat. Eat!

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It’s November, which means I’m already thinking about what Ryan and I will be making for Thanksgiving dinner. Weeks ago while at the pub with our Italian friends, Alessia and Raffaello, we invited them over to have Thanksgiving with us. I’m totally excited to have them over, introduce them to new foods and share our traditions with them. And I think they’re excited too. But the truth is I’m nervous. Making Thanksgiving dinner can be a little nerve-racking anyway because I want it to go well, but the pressure is increased because I want to impress our guests who have never had this meal before.

So I decided to practice. I’ve made a turkey twice before. The first time in 2011 under the tutelage of my Uncle Willie. I did most of the work, but he was telling me what to do as we went. The second turkey was in 2012. I did all the prep myself but my mother-in-law Susan was there during the cooking to add her experience and moral support. This time it is all me. I went to the grocery store to get my practice turkey, and they didn’t have any. Sigh.

As a stand in, I bought a whole chicken. I know it’s not totally the same, but it’s not totally different. Also I’ve only roasted a chicken once so I figured this is an important skill to cultivate. [Side note: In the US, I never roasted a whole chicken because I always bought whole chicken parts. That packaging doesn’t seem to be a thing here. I can buy all the various parts separately, but I can’t buy a package that has breasts, thighs, wings etc all in one.]

Stocked up with herbs, butter, vegetables, and a chicken, I was ready to roast. I found the preparation process really fun because everything smelled so good. This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Pioneer Woman Cooks‘ website. I used sage, rosemary, and thyme for the herbs. It all smells so good! I love that rosemary makes me think of Christmas and that thyme smells herbal and a bit floral. I’ve never used sage before, but I liked the thicker texture and its subtle pine smell. I ended up making more herb butter than I needed, but it’s a learning process right?

Basically, I chopped up a bunch of herbs and mixed them with butter. I then used my hands to slather the chicken with herb butter. I put a ton all over the outside. For extra flavor, I even got in between the skin and the meat and added more herb butter. There’s a picture below. It’s not beautiful, but I wanted you to know that you should just go crazy with the seasoning. I also stuffed the chicken with some garlic, veggies, and a lemon to add flavor.

In the end, this chicken came out so flipping good. I mean SO GOOD. I started making it and then while it was in the oven Ryan left to go to the Arsenal match. The apartment started to smell really good and the chicken started to brown. Some of the herbs turned crunchy and too dark, but I just scraped them off at the end. Once the chicken was done I took it out and photographed it for the blog. And then I dug in. I dug in hard. The first bite was a moist explosion of delicious chicken flavor, followed by herbal hints, and finished with a salty crunchy bite of skin. I was alone, but I thought, “damn this is good.” It was so good I ate half the chicken myself (and I may or may not have been standing up over the counter eating directly from the roasting pan).

When Ryan got home he pulled out the chicken from the fridge and ate a bite. He turned around and gave me an “oh yeah this is delicious,” face. He also explicitly said the same thing. And then he ate the other half of the chicken. That should be a ringing endorsement. This chicken is so good that two people can eat a whole chicken in one sitting without any need for sides, plates, drinks, or normal meal-time behavior.

Messy level: Not so messy dish-wise, but very messy on your hands. Slathering your hands with butter then massaging a chicken isn’t clean. Still, I’ll give it two spoons.

Herb Roasted Chicken

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs sage
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 4 tbsp butter
• ½ lemon
• ½ onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 large carrot
• 4 garlic cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450/230°.
2. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and place it into a roasting pan.
3. Remove the herbs from their stems. Chop the herbs finely and mix them up.
4. Measure out about 2 tbsp of chopped herbs. (If you have more you can use more). Put the herbs in a small bowl. Add in the salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
5. Add the butter to the herbs and spices. Use your hands to mix everything all together so that you create an herb butter. Set aside for now.
6. Roughly chop up the onion, celery, and carrots. These are just for smell and flavor, so if you're not going to eat them they don't have to look beautiful.
7. Crush the garlic cloves. To do this, put the flat of your knife over the clove, then press down with the palm of your hand until you feel the garlic break and flatten.
8. Squeeze the juice of the ½ lemon into the cavity of the chicken. Stuff the chicken with the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and onion. Again, doesn't have to be pretty and it may not all fit.
9. Using your hands, rubs the herb butter all over the chicken. Be generous but you don't have to worry about how it looks. You may not need all the butter.
10. For added flavor and moisture, gently butter in between the skin and the meat. (You can get in there at the top of the cavity)
11. Cook in the oven for 1 hour, or until an inserted thermometer reaches 160/71°.
12. Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. If you cut it too soon all the juices fall out! Be patient!
13. For the sake of presentation, flick off any herbs that have gotten too dark and crispy.
14. Carve it and serve.

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I bought the corn when I made barley succotash and I’ve had the leftover bag ever since. When I need to add a vegetable for dinner, I often tell myself I’ll just heat up the corn, but I never do. I like corn on the cob, corn bread, and corn in things. But plain corn on the side isn’t very interesting to me and so the bag languished in the freezer. 

Then I saw a fairly recent post from Amateur Gourmet for corn chowder. I thought this would be perfect, but then he said it wasn’t worth doing with frozen corn. Sigh. It’s the end of the summer and corn season is over so I moved on.

Until it was Monday. On Monday nights I like to go to Zumba. I like to eat before Zumba so I don’t feel faint and famished but I can’t eat too much or I’ll feel sick. But, I also need to make something hearty enough so Ryan has a real dinner and not rabbit food. So I thought back to corn chowder, and advice be dammed, I was going to try it with frozen corn!

I’m so glad I did because this soup is freaking delicious! The soup is wonderfully flavorful. This is one of the best soups I have ever had. The corn gives it sweetness and the cayenne pepper (which is my personal addition) gives just the whisper of heat. And the cream makes it feel so rich, but with only one cup in the whole pot you don’t have to feel too guilty. It is hearty but not heavy (seriously, I went to Zumba and felt fine and thought about the soup the whole time). Ryan gave it a 9 out of 10. I kept loudly saying, “this soup is so good!” I was mad when I had to leave for class and couldn’t have a second bowl. Try it, this is a wonderful soup.

Adapted from Amateur Gourmet who adapted it from Jasper White.

Messy level: There is a lot of cutting prep work for this recipe, that’s the only reason I will give it a 2 spoon rating. Otherwise, it’s just dump it all in the pot and wait for it to get delicious.

Amazing Corn Chowder

 

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Ingredients

• 3-4 cups of frozen corn
• 4 oz of slab bacon, cut into ⅓" dice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 5 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ⅛ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes peeled, and cut into ½" cubes
• about 5-6 cups of chicken stock (enough to cover everything)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp minced chives

Instructions

1. In a large heavy pot, cook the bacon over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Spoon out all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat.
2. Add the butter, onion, bell pepper, thyme, cumin, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. Look at the pretty spices! They will make the soup pretty too. Add a pinch of salt. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring every so often.
3. Add the corn, potatoes, and stock. Turn the heat to high and bring to a vigorous boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Using a wood spoon, smash some of the corn and potatoes against the side of the pot. This will help thicken the chowder. Reduce the heat to medium and taste for salt and pepper.
5. Stir in the corn starch mixture.
6. Bring the soup back to a boil and stir until the chowder has thickened to your liking.
7. Turn off the heat and add the cream. Adjust for salt if you need to.
8. Serve and top with chopped chives.

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