Banana Bread

This may be the first baked good I've ever posted on this site. I don't ever bake, but I do love banana bread, and this is the best recipe I've encountered yet. I think the almond flour is what makes it unique. After a few tries at baking this, I realized the key to making banana bread that isn't overly moist or undercooked is to moderate the amount of bananas used. For me, 3 1/2 medium sized bananas is perfect. Note this recipe makes two loaves.

I adapted this from an Instagram account that I can't seem to find anymore.

Ingredients

• 3-4 very ripe (aka nearly rotten) bananas
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional, but why?)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mash up the bananas, then mix in the sugars, butter, and eggs.
3. Add in the flours, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate chips, and mix again.
4. Grease (or spray) with butter two break loaf pans and pour in the mixture.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let is rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 2 loaves

Smoky Chipotle Salsa

Here is a simple salsa that is very quick to prepare. You can blend it as chunky or fine as you like, and then enjoy it on anything that sounds good. Beware that this salsa is both smoky (from the chipotles) and spicy, although you can adjust the spice by how much jalapeno you. I found this on Instagram. 

Ingredients

• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 1 tsp sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• Half a white onion, cut into chunks
• 1 jalapeño (adjust to preference)
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 limes
• Small handful of cilantro
• 1 tsp guajillo chili powder (or any chili powder)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine chilis, garlic, onion, and jalapeño in food processor and pulse until chopped to your liking
2. Add tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, and salt, and continue to pulse.
3. Taste and adjust to taste.

Serves a lot.

Asian Cucumber Salad

This Asian cucumber salad recipe is a really simple and beautiful side dish. You can alter the level of spice to your own taste but I would say that this recipe is very mild. You can slice/chop/smash the cucumbers however you like; I like it simply sliced thin. I adapted heavily from this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Persian cucumbers or 1-2 large English cucumbers
• 1½ Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp chili crisp (optional)
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey or sugar
• 1 Tbsp Korean chili flakes
• 2 cloves grated garlic
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cut off the ends on each cucumber and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scrape out the inner seeds. Lay a large chef knife on top of the cucumbers slices and hit the knife to smash the cucumbers. Use the knife to very coarsely chop the smashed cucumbers into ~2 cm chunks. 
2. Alternatively, just slice the cucumbers crosswise into coins or half moons. 
3. Sprinkle several tablespoons of salt over the cucumbers, put them in a strainer over a large plate, and allow them to rest for 30 minutes to draw out moisture. After the 30 minutes, wash them under cold water to rinse off the salt. Dry them.
4. While the cucumbers are resting with the salt, mix the remaining ingredients together. 
5. Add the cucumbers and stir to combine. For best results, let it marinate for an hour in the fridge.

Serves 1-2.

Lemon Parmesan Sesame Salad

This relatively simple salad is full of flavor. The dressing is made with toasted sesame oil, which is what makes it really stand out. Feel free to use whatever greens you want -- I used a mix of red lettuce, arugula, and romaine -- and it was a perfect mix of lighter and heavier greens. Using homemade croutons is always the best, but if lazy (like me), they are completely optional.

I adapted this from Half Baked Harvest. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups mixed salad greens
• ½ to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ avocados, cubed
• 2 cups torn ciabatta bread (optional)
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Lemon Sesame vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of chili flakes
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 
2. Toss together the ciabatta, garlic, and a pinch of salt with olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until toasted.
3. In a large salad bowl, mix the greens, croutons, parmesan, and sesame seeds.
4. To make the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake. Taste and adjust as needed.
5. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine (use your hands to really if needed.) Top the salad with avocado. Eat.

Serves 2-4

Zucchini Pizza

(Originally posted 3/27/2011)

This is one of my favorites that I make very frequently. Just get yourself a ball of pizza dough (Trader Joe's has good ones) and a few zucchini, and you'll have a delicious pizza in no time. A standard oven cooking sheet is the perfect size for this pizza, especially given the size of typical pizza dough you buy in stores. Once you take it out of the oven and smell it, you'll definitely want eat the entire thing. Also, this is a fun one to make with a toddler if you have one around.

This is modified from a recipe I originally found from a cooking website called Eat Live Run. 

Ingredients

• Pizza dough (regular or whole wheat can both work)
• 2 large (or 3 small) zucchini
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Kosher salt
  
• Red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 500°, or its hottest temperature it can achieve. Either dust cornmeal on a baking sheet or spray with nonstick spray.
2. Grate the zucchinis and wring/press with kitchen towel to eliminate all the liquid. Mix the zucchini with the mozzarella cheese, garlic, and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
3. Work the pizza dough into whatever shape you want. Top with the zucchini mixture. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes if you like spice in your life.
   
4. Bake pizza for about 12 minutes or until the crust begins to turn golden and the cheese has started to bubble.
5. Cool, slice, and serve.
   

Serves 2-4. Eat it quickly.

Thai Style Noodle Salad

This is an interesting recipe that I came across on Instagram on a site called Alexandra Cooks.  It's a fusion of Thai-style noodles (vaguely reminiscent of pad thai) and a salad. The original dish was from a restaurant in Philadelphia, which was then adapted by a cookbook, which was in turn adapted by that site above, and now adapted by me. It's very easy to make, but make sure everything is prepared and arrange everything else in small bowls near your cooktop. Once you're ready to cook, it all comes together in only a minutes. 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 head romaine
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
• 4-6 green onions, white and light green parts, sliced very thin
• 1/2 pound fresh mung bean sprouts
• 1 cup roasted cashew or peanuts, roughly chopped
• 8 oz dried wide rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil

Instructions

1. Place a large pot of water on to boil. 
2. Make the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside. 
3. Prep the remaining ingredients. Slice the Romaine into 1/2-inch pieces, and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Boil the dried rice noodles according to the package. When done, drain but do not rinse. 
5. Heat a skillet or wok over high heat. Add the oil until nearly smoking and add the green onions. Once softened add the pepper flakes
6. Immediately afterward add the noodles and use tongs to quickly coat the noodles in the oil. Add the sauce, and use tongs again to coat them in the sauce. 
7. Push all the noodles to one side of the pan/woke and add the eggs to the other side. Scrambled until they're fully cooked through.
8. Add the bean sprouts and nuts, and toss to combine. Cook for about a minute total.
9. Pour everything over the romaine. Toss gently to combine and serve immediately.

Serves 1-2.

Bacon Candy Crackers

Here's an extremely simple snack or appetizer that is very tasty. If you love bacon and sugar, this is right up your alley. I recommend using Club crackers, as their width matches the width of bacon perfectly.

Ingredients

• Crackers
• Bacon, cut into 3 or 4 equal slices (to match the length of the cracker)
• Brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Arrange as many crackers as will neatly fit on a cooking sheet.
3. Lay the bacon on top of each cracker and sprinkle with brown sugar.
4. Bake until the brown sugar is starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove and enjoy.

Serves 1-4.

Spicy Mushroom Lasagna

This mushroom lasagna is exceptionally tasty and rivals any meaty lasagna you've tried. You'll need both dried and fresh mushrooms, so hopefully you have access to both. If you can't find dried porcini mushrooms (or if they're too pricey, which they certainly are) just buy dried mixed mushrooms, like I did. This was also my first time using no boil lasagna noodles, and skeptical as I was, it turned out perfectly. This recipe definitely takes some time to prepare and assemble, but it's well worth it. 

I adapted this recipe from here, who in turn adapted it from Yotam Ottolenghi, the master of cooking with vegetables.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 ounces (70g) dried mushrooms
• 1 dried red chile, coarsely chopped and seeds removed
• 3 cups hot vegetable stock
• 2 pounds brown button mushrooms
• 1 1/4 pounds fresh oyster mushrooms
• 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, total, plus additional for preparing the baking dish
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 8ths
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for serving
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1-2 teaspoons fish sauce or soy sauce
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan
• 2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 8-9 ounces (250g) no-boil lasagna noodles

Instructions

To prepare the dried mushrooms and chiles

1. Put the dried mushrooms and chopped chilis in a medium bowl. Pour the hot stock over them to cover everything. Let stand 30 minutes or until softened. When soft, set a strainer over another bowl and strain the mushrooms and chilis, squeezing out as much moisture as you can.
2. Chop the mushrooms and chilis finely, leaving a few of them coarsely chopped. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of liquid remaining. If not, top it up to that amount with water.  Set everything aside.

To prepare the mushroom ragu (lasagna filling)

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and set a rack on the top third of the oven. Working in 3-4 batches, chop the fresh mushrooms in a food processor (or by hand) until they're finely chopped. (No need to clean the food processor as you'll be using it again shortly.) Spread the mushroom pieces on a large baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix them together with clean hands, then spread in an even layer. Roast in the oven, stirring the mushrooms three times during baking, until they are dark, well-reduced, and slightly crisp, about 45-60 minutes. This step takes awhile but is important.
2. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and garlic in the food processor (or by hand.) Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion/carrot/garlic mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and starting to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, finely chop the tomatoes in the food processor, or by hand.
3. Add the chopped fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the rehydrated chopped mushroom and chiles, as well as the oven-roasted mushrooms, and continue to cook until the mixture starts to brown on the bottom, about 9 minutes.
5. Stir in the reserved stock from rehydrating the mushrooms and chiles, the water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's a thick stew, about 25 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of cream and continue to cook for two minutes. Remove from heat and when cool enough to taste, and season with fish sauce or soy sauce, as well as additional salt if desired.

To prepare the herb and cheese mixture

1. Mix the grated Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses together in a medium bowl with the chopped parsley and basil.

To assemble and bake the lasagna

1. To assemble and bake the lasagna, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread some olive oil in a 13x9-inch rectangular baking dish.
2. Spread one-fifth of the mushroom ragù in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle one-fifth of the cheese and herb mixture over the top. Place a layer of the lasagna noodles over the cheese, breaking any noodles to fill in any gaps. Continue to assemble the lasagna, repeating those three steps in that order, so you end up with five layers of sauce and cheese, and four layers of pasta.
3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and increase the heat of the oven to 450ºF. Bake for another 12 minutes, rotating the lasagna midway during baking.
4. Finally, turn on the grill or broil setting and cook for 2 minutes until the top is browned.
5. Remove the lasagna from oven and drizzle it with 1 tablespoon of cream and and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Serves 4-8.

Thai-Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup

This soup is a tasty, comforting, and relatively quick meal that you could probably make on a weeknight. The Thai-style meatballs and broth are reminiscent of Tom Kha Gai a Thai soup with a coconut based broth. I've modified the recipe to ensure a lot more broth that can be enjoyed with rice noodles (my preference) or even rice. Spinach adds a splash of color. Don't forget the lime at the end!

I adapted this from the recipe on NY Times Cooking. 

Ingredients

• 1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 jalapeño
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons fish sauce
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil, plus more as needed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 10 ounces baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• Cooked rice or rice noodles

Instructions

1. Using the small holes of a box grater, or a food processor, grate the ginger, garlic and jalapeño. Transfer half to a large bowl and set the rest aside. To the large bowl, add the chicken, finely chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands or a fork to fully combine.
2. Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to form 2-inch meatballs (about 2 ounces each). In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs in a single layer and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on two sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat, adding oil as needed.
3. Once all the meatballs are browned and out of the pot, reduce the heat to medium, add the reserved ginger mixture and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, sugar and the remaining 4 tablespoons fish sauce, and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and any juices from the plate, and simmer until the flavors come together and the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the spinach and lime juice. Divide rice or rice noodles among bowls, then top with meatballs and broth. Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4-6

Eggplant Tagine

This delicious Moroccan-style tagine is a great vegetarian dish with unique flavors. The predominant flavor is imparted by rose harissa, which is harissa (spicy Moroccan/North African hot sauce) with rose petal flavoring. Prep time is very quick and entails chopping up the eggplants and onions. It may sound boring but it bounds with flavor. Serve it with flatbread or pita.

This is from Sam's Eats. (Note: this recipe is from his book.)

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants (1 pound total), cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 1/2 oz rose harissa paste
• 1 cup medjool dates, finely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups just boiled water
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F
2. Add the eggplants to a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and all the harissa paste, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until evenly coated, then leave to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. Put the dates in a heatproof bowl, cover in the just-boiled water and leave to soak until needed
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a sauté pan or large pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until softened and translucent, then remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Add the eggplants to the same pan/pot, with another splash of olive oil f needed, turn the heat up to medium-high and fry for 10 minutes until they get some nice color on them.
6. Add the dates and their soaking water, along with the softened onions and chopped tomatoes to the pan. Mix, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1½ hours, checking after 45 minutes and stirring.
7. After the 1/½ hours, add the chickpeas and toasted almonds (saving a few to garnish), then place back in the oven to cook for another hour. Once cooked, the tagine should be thick, rich, sweet and spicy.
8. Plate it up in some bowls, sprinkle with parsley and the reserved toasted almonds. Squeeze over some lemon juice and serve with a warm flatbread on the side.

Serves 4-6.

Eggplant Parmigiana

(Published originally on 12/29/2009. Updated 10/10/2023)

The Italian classic, as featured in Fine Cooking. Instead of using big, chewy chunks of eggplant, this recipe uses thin slices of peeled eggplant. Furthermore, there is no breading the eggplant before frying them. I had never even tried eggplant parmigiana before, but after trying this recipe, I am a fan who will be making it again and again. (A possible variation, as featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, is to coat the fried eggplants with some of the tomato sauce.)

Ingredients
For the eggplant:

• 3 large eggplants (about 6 small ones)
• Kosher salt
• 3 cups olive oil (or a blend of olive and canola oils)

For the sauce:

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped finely
• 1 stalk celery, chopped finely
• 1/2 onion, chopped finely
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
• Three 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), drained
• Kosher salt
• 18 large fresh basil leaves, torn in half

For assembling:

• 12 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups lightly packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

1. Salt the eggplant. Peel the eggplant and cut each crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay out all the eggplant slices and sprinkle generously with salt. Lay on a sheet pan and cover with paper towel, and repeat layers like this. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. The salt will draw out water and reduce the eggplant’s ability to absorb oil.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the 3 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook for 15-20 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and barely golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 tsp. salt. Raise the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down into a sauce, 30 to 35 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until you have a thick, chunky sauce, 5 to 10 minutes more. (Too much liquid in the sauce will make the finished dish watery.) Turn off the heat, stir in the basil leaves, and blend with an immersion blender.
3. Rise the eggplant under water quickly. Dry the eggplant by lining a large plate with a paper towel and setting a few slices on it. Top with another paper towel and layer on a few more slices. Repeat until you run out of slices.
4. Fry the eggplant. Add the olive oil to a 3- or 4-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil reaches 375°F, add as many eggplant slices as will fit comfortably in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute more on the second. Working quickly, pick up each slice with a slotted spoon and press the back of another large spoon against the slice to squeeze out as much oil as possible. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all the slices are fried, layering the fried eggplant between paper towels.
5. Assemble the dish. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Layer about one-third of the eggplant slices so they overlap slightly on the bottom of a 13x9-inch (or similar size) baking dish. Spread about one-third of the tomato sauce in a very thin layer over the eggplant. Evenly sprinkle about half of the mozzarella and 1/3 cup of the Parmigiano over the tomato sauce. Make another layer with one-third of the eggplant, one-third of the tomato sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and 1/3 cup Parmigiano. Make one last layer with the remaining eggplant, tomato sauce, and Parmigiano.
   
6. Bake until the cheese has melted evenly and the top is bubbly, with browned edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
   

Serves 4-6. Eat them eggplants.

Lentil and Coconut Curry Soup

This is a great weeknight meal that comes together extremely quickly. It is hearty, flavorful, and delicious, and requires only one pot. It very much resembles an Indian daal, except with coconut milk. Add as much or little pepper flakes as you can handle.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp neutral oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
• 1 14 oz can coconut milk
• Handful of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
• Red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they turn golden brown. 
2. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and turmeric, and cook for another few minutes until the spices are fragrant and turn a dark brown.
3. Rinse the red lentils under cold water in a fine sieve, then stir them into the pot and cook for another minute.
4. Add the tomatoes, vegetable or chicken stock, and approximately 3/4 of the coconut milk. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the mixture has a thick soup consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To serve, drizzle over the remaining coconut milk and top with fresh cilantro. Add red chili pepper flakes, if using. Serve with thick slices of crusty bread.

Serves 4.

Miso Caesar Dressing

Caesar salad is one of my favorites, but some people may be repulsed by the thought (or flavor) of anchovies in the dressing. This anchovy-free dressing may be even better than a traditional Caesar dressing; it uses miso paste as an alternative, which provides an even better savory, umami flavor. Make sure to let it rest in the refrigerator for awhile prior to serving to ensure that the flavors meld together.

Ingredients

• 1egg yolk
• 1 tsp white miso paste
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together vigorously.
2. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Bistecca Tagliata

(Originally posted September 19, 2010)

This is a fantastic yet simple recipe pulled from GQ. Bistecca tagliata literally means "sliced steak" in Italian, and it is sliced steak served over a bed of arugula with shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano and lemon wedges. It is hearty but not heavy.

I’ve tried various cuts of beef over the years including boneless ribeye and NY strip, but my favorite by far is hanger steak, which offers a delicious, beefy taste. 

Ingredients

• 1 boneless dry-aged rib eye, 1 1/2 inches thick
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bunch baby arugula
• 1 lemon
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Olive oil
  

Instructions

1. Take the steak out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
2. Grill the steak till medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the steak from the grill and let rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.
3. Lay the arugula on a large serving platter. Cut the lemon into wedges and ring the platter.
4. Using a vegetable peeler, shave slices of the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the arugula.
5. Slice the steak against the grain. Lay the slices on top of the arugula, pour the juices from the cutting board over the steak, and finish with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Serves 1-2. Eat.

Yakamein

I just learned of this dish for the first time ever a few nights ago, however, the moment I saw it I knew I'd have to make it. This bizarre dish is a cross between gumbo and ramen. It's known in New Orleans as Old Sober, as it's a very comforting and warming noodle that seems a perfect hangover cure. Whatever this dish is, it certainly tastes good. Feel free to use any noodles of your choice, and do serve with hot sauce or soy sauce drizzled on top. I came across this recipe on NY Times.

Ingredients

• 2 TB Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1pound chuck roast, thinly sliced
• 4 TB neutral oil
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne powder
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 4 cups beef stock (preferably unsalted or low-sodium)
• 8 ounces spaghetti
• Soy sauce or hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning and garlic. Toss the beef with the marinade and let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. As the beef marinates, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add celery, onion, bell pepper and salt. Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, cayenne and ginger; sauté for another minute. Transfer the vegetables to small bowl.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Working in batches, sauté the meat over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes on each side, until you get a nice crust on the outside. Add vegetables and the beef stock back to the pot with the beef. Stir well and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, and stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Taste soup and adjust for seasoning.
5. As the soup simmers, set a medium pot of salted water to boil, and, about 10 minutes before serving, add spaghetti to the pot and cook according to the package directions. Drain the spaghetti.
6. Serve in bowls, making sure that each bowl has noodles, broth, and beef. Add soy sauce or hot sauce, if you like.

Serves 4. 

San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles

This unique fusion dish has been made popular by the San Francisco Vietnamese restaurant Thanh Long. It's very simple but also has a unique taste, in part due to the Maggi seasoning, but use fish sauce if you cannot get any Maggi. These noodles are quick to make, and they taste great on their own or with any seafood. This is a J. Kenji Lopez-Alt recipe from the NY Times.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 20 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Maggi liquid seasoning
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (heaping ¼ cup)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a wok or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, bring 1½ inches of water to a boil in a 12-​inch skillet or sauté pan over high heat. (Or heat up just enough water to cover the spaghetti in a large Dutch oven or pot.) Add the pasta, stir a few times to make sure it’s not clumping, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente (about 2 minutes short of the recommended cook time on the package).
3. Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the garlic sauce, along with whatever water clings to it. (Reserve the pasta water in the skillet.) Increase the heat to high, add the cheese to the wok, and stir with a wooden spatula or spoon and toss vigorously until the sauce is creamy and emulsified, about 30 seconds. If the sauce looks too watery, let it keep reducing. If it looks greasy, splash some more cooking water into it and let it re-​emulsify. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Limonada (Brazilian Lemonade)

Welcome to your new favorite drink for a hot summer day. This tart and creamy drink is popular in Brazil, and even though it's called lemonade it's typically made with limes. It tastes fantastic as is, and if you add a shot of rum (or cachaca) it's a match made in heaven. I found this on NY Times Cooking.

Ingredients

• 4 limes, scrubbed and washed
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• Half of a 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 cups cold water
• 4 cups ice, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Cut off and discard the tips of the limes, then cut the limes in quarters.
2. In the blender, pulse limes, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, water and ice in a blender 5 to 8 times until the ingredients are just combined. You’re looking to extract flavor from the limes, but not to pulverize them, which can make the drink too bitter. Pieces of lime rind will still be visible.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Use the back of a spoon to push out as much liquid as possible; discard the solids.
4. Divide among tall, ice-filled glasses, garnish with lime wedges, and serve immediately. 

Serves 4-6.

Pan Seared Shrimp with Black Pepper and Lime

Lime, coriander, and peppercorns come together in this quick delicious shrimp meal. The spices and herbs take a few minutes to prepare, but once your mise is set, the dish comes together very rapidly. I found this on America's Test Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoons sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• 1 tablespoon peanuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Toss shrimp and ½ teaspoon salt together in bowl; set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grind coriander seeds and peppercorns using spice grinder or mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Transfer to small bowl. Add paprika, garlic, 1 teaspoon sugar, pepper flakes, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and stir to combine.
3. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Add 1 tablespoon oil to shrimp and toss to coat. Add shrimp to cold 12-inch nonstick skillet in single layer and cook over high heat until undersides of shrimp are spotty brown and edges turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Working quickly, use tongs to flip each shrimp; let stand until second side is opaque, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to platter.
4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to now-empty skillet. Add spice mixture and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, return shrimp to skillet. Add cilantro and lime juice and toss to combine. 
5. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with peanuts, and serve with extra lime wedges.

Serves 2-4.

Harira (Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup)

Harira is a classic Moroccan comfort soup composed of a tomato-based broth, lentils, chickpeas, and typically lamb. This version is vegetarian (vegan, in fact) but is just as filling. There are countless versions of this dish, and I stumbled across this recipe on on Instagram account called Lahbco. 

Ingredients

• 1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 large white onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 can of chickpeas or white beans (juice included)
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp saffron
• 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste mixed with 2 cups of water
• 4 oz vermicelli noodles, broken into 3 inch pieces
• Flour slurry (1/4 cup of flour mixed with 1 cup water)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and white onion until you have a smooth slurry. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add your spices and toast them for about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the tomato slurry, chickpeas or beans, dry lentils, cilantro, parsley, salt, and 2 cups of water. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through. Stir every 5 minutes.
4. Bloom saffron threads in 1/2 cup of hot water.
5. Stir in the vermicelli, tomato paste mixture, and saffron water, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Stir in flour slurry to thicken the soup. Add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. Serve with spicy harissa, fresh lemon, and cracked pepper

Serves 4.

Saag Chicken (Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry)

This is a very fast Indian curry you can easily put together on a weeknight. It may look like a long list of ingredients, but most are found in a well-stocked pantry, and once you collect everything it only takes 30 minutes to cook. Make sure to brown the onions well. I found this on Instagram as therealmonicasingh.

Ingredients

• 3 Tb ghee or butter or oil
• 2 red chilis
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 10-12 peppercorns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 cup chopped red onion 
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 Tb chopped ginger
• 1 Tb chopped garlic
• 1 1/4 cups crushed tomatoes
• 2 pounds chicken, cubed
• 1 Tb coriander powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 10 oz chopped baby spinach
• 1/2 cup yogurt

Instructions

1. Heat ghee in a large pot. When hot, add the chilis, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, peppercorns, and cumin seeds. 
2. Add onions and salt, and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Add tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes.
4. Add chicken, cook for 8-10 minutes, then cover and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
5. Add coriander powder, and paprika, cumin powder, sugar, and garam masala. Mix well. Add spinach. Saute for 12 minutes.
6. Finally add in the yogurt. Cook for a few additional minutes and then serve with some sort of flatbread.

Serves 2-4.

Short Rib Beef Stroganoff

This ain't your mother's beef stroganoff. While hers may be delicious, this is what it would be like if the dish used the best cut of beef for stewing as well as some non-traditional ingredients. It's definitely worth the effort. 

I came across this on Not Another Cooking Show, a food vlog maintained by a guy who you can find on Instagram as thefoodfreakk. 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless short rib (or chuck roast)
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 Tbs sweet paprika
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 2 Tablespoons of AP flour
• 4 cups beef stock
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 lb assorted mushrooms (cremini, shittake, chestnut, or any mushroom you like)
• 1 Tb fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 Tb butter
• Avocado oil
• A few tablespoons of chopped parsley
• Egg Noodles

Instructions

1. Cut the onion and carrot into a large dice and smash garlic cloves.
2. Trim any excess fat from the beef and the dice into large yet still bite-sized pieces, keeping in mind the beef will shrink during cooking, roughly 1 1/2 inch pieces. Pat dry and season with salt.
3. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. On the stove in a large, hot dutch oven on medium high heat, sear the beef on all sides in oil and in batches. Take your time and make sure all the pieces are really well seared. Once all the beef is seared, set it aside on a platter.
4. Add the vegetables into the pot. Add a bit more oil if needs and season the vegetables. Cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until the big pieces of carrot and onion soften and there is a nice caramelized aroma wafting from the pot. 
5. Once you can see some “fond” or brown bits developing on the bottom of the pan, add the paprika and stir to coat and toast for a minute or two. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine and cook the rawness out of the paste. Once you can see the “fond” on the bottom of the pan building, but not burning, add the flour and stir to coat. 
6. Once that fond is is nice and thick but still not burnt, then we can deglaze with red wine and let the wine reduce to a glaze. Then add in the broth or stock, add the beef back to the pot, bring it up to a boil, cover with lid, and then place in the oven to cook for 3 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.
7. Thirty minutes before the beef is done cooking, clean and cut the mushrooms and tear some fresh thyme leaves. Also combine the sour cream, heavy cream, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
8. After 3 hours of cooking, take the beef out of the oven and test for tenderness. Once the beef is out of the oven, in a pan over high heat, saute the mushrooms in butter and olive oil salt, and thyme and develop some color on the mushrooms. Mushrooms always release water first and then brown so make sure the heat is high enough to evaporate the moisture and help brown the mushrooms quicker. 
9. While the mushrooms are browning, temper the sour cream mixture by adding a small amount of the hot stew liquid into the cream a little bit at a time and stirring it in, then add the cream into the pot and stir to get it well combined. 
10. Once the mushrooms are browned, add them to the pot and stir to combine. At the same time, get a pot of salted water boiling for the noodles. Drop the noodles and cook them just like pasta, if they cook for 9 minutes, drain it at 8 minutes and finish cooking in the stroganoff sauce until it's al dente. 
11. Serve the sauced noodles in a bowl with plenty of meat and mushrooms and vegetables ladled on top. Garnish with some chopped parsley.

Serves 4.

Warm Tofu with Spicy Garlic Sauce

As tasty as tofu is when it's fried or baked or crispy, this dish prepares tofu in quite a different way. By slowly simmering a block of tofu, it comes out silky soft and easy to eat with a spoon. The spicy garlic sauce then adds a delicious flavor to complement it. I found this on an Instagram page called AlexandraCooks. 

Ingredients

• Block of firm tofu
• One clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup green onion
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 3 Tb soy sauce
• 1 Tb sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Cut tofu in half. Place in a sauce pan, cover with water, and bring to boil. Simmer over low for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the spicy garlic sauce. Mince the clove of garlic with a pinch of salt to create a paste. Transfer to a bowl.
3. To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix together well. Let sit a few minutes to let flavors meld.
4. Remove tofu from the water and gently pat to remove excess water. Spoon the sauce over the tofu blocks. Serve with a side of roasted vegetables such as broccoli. 

Serves 2.

Cilantro Lime Noodles

Noodle lovers, here's another quick and delicious dish for you. Lots of cilantro and lime join with curry powder to create a bowl of citrusy and savory noodles with a pleasantly unique taste.Make sure you use wide knife-cut noodles, which you can easily find at Asian market or online.

I found this recipe on a fun Instagram account called The Foodie Flight.

Ingredients

• 5.2 oz dry noodles of choice (recommend knife cut noodles)

Cilantro Lime Sauce

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small shallot
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tbsp chili power (optional)
• 1/4 cup neutral oil

Seasonings

• 1-2 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (juice from 1 lime)

Instructions

1. Prepare your noodles and slightly undercook until still very chewy. 
2. In a large heat proof bowl, add the chopped cilantro, minced garlic, shallot, curry powder, sugar, and chili powder.
3. Heat the oil in the pot over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes or until hot and you start to see small bubbles. 
4. Immediately pour the oil over the bowl of cilantro. 
5. Add in the mushroom oyster sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Mix well.
6. Add cooked noodles and mix to coat in the sauce mixture. 

Serves 1.

Korean Spicy Beef and Vegetable Soup (Yukgaejang)

I stumbled across this delicious recipe while browsing Maangchi (an incredible collection of Korean recipes). It is a hearty, spicy beef and vegetable stew/soup that is very satisfying in cold weather. It makes a large batch that tastes even better reheated the next day, as stews typically do. 

The ingredients are the usual suspects for Korean cooking, but there is one ingredient that was new to me: gosari, a Korean mountain vegetable. You can find it at any well-stocked Korean market, or just do what I did and order it from Amazon. It has an earthy taste, adding to the unique taste and texture of this dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef brisket
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 a medium onion
• 12 ounces (about 3 cups) mung bean sprouts
• 14-16 green onions, cut into 2½ inch long pieces
• 6 ounces of soaked or fresh gosari (about 2 cups), cut into 2½ inch long pieces
• 8 cloves of garlic, minced

Sauce

• ¼ cup Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 Tb kosher salt
• 1 Tb soy sauce
• 1 Tb toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tb neutral cooking oil

Instructions

Make the soup

1. Cut the brisket into several 3-inch pieces along the grain. Soak in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes, then wash and drain.
2. In a large pot, bring 3 quarts (12 cups) of water to a boil. Add the beef along with the dried shiitake mushrooms and the onions. 
3. Cook for 1 hour over medium high heat. As stock boils off, you want to maintain about 10 cups’ worth, so add some water.

Make the seasoning sauce and prepare the vegetables

1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a very large bowl and mix it well. 
2. Add the mung bean sprouts, green onions, gosari, and garlic and mix very well by hand to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Combine

1. When the soup is done, remove the beef, onions, and mushrooms with a slotted strainer. Let the beef and mushrooms cool down and discard the cooked onion.
2. Add the vegetable/sauce mixture to the boiling stock.
3. Cover and cook 20 minutes over medium high heat until the vegetables are cooked through and tender, but not mushy.
4. Slice the mushrooms and pull the beef apart into strips. Add to the boiling soup and cook another 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat, ladle and serve. Serve with rice or noodles. 

Serves 6-8

Chili for Chili Dogs or Chili Fries

Sometimes you want a chili heart enough to stand as a meal on its own, but sometimes you want a chili that's is complex and tasty but not quite as heavy. Enter this chili recipe, which is perfect for a chili dog or chili fries or even a chili burger. It essentially a very thick sauce, and it's full of flavor. I've even used it as a dip for chips it's so good. 

Adapted this from Serious Eats.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons chili powder (I use a mix of ancho chili and chipotle)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced fine
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seed, toasted and ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed, toasted and ground
• 1 whole clove, toasted and ground
• 1 whole star anise, toasted and ground
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 anchovy filet, minced (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon Marmite (optional, but great if you use)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground chuck
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons masa harina
• 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Melt butter over medium-high heat in Dutch oven. When foaming subsides, add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened but no browned, about 6 minutes. 
2. Add all ground spices and oregano and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 1 1/2 minutes. 
3. Add tomato paste, soy sauce, anchovy, Marmite (if using), and sugar, and cook, stirring frequently until paste begins to stick to bottom of pan, about 1 1/2 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and add 2 cups of chicken broth. Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan with wooden spoon. 
5. Add ground beef and break up using whisk until mixture is completely homogeneous (no large chunks of beef should remain). Add remaining chicken stock and return to stovetop and set over medium high heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to a simmer. Cover with lid slightly ajar, reduce heat to low, and cook for 75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and intense.
6. Combine masa harina and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and mix until homogeneous. Add masa mixture, hot sauce, and bourbon to chili and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. 
7. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately on top of burgers, hot dogs, or fries.

Serves 6-8.