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seared tuna pappardelle with baby kale

March 22, 2015
the main event, the underwear diet
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Another one of those just-an-idea posts, inspired by an al fresco lunch at Pentimento on Long Island: season and sear fresh tuna; remove from pan and dice; sweat minced garlic and shallots in evoo in same pan; add baby kale (or spinach or other baby greens) and cook until just begins to wilt; add cooked pappardelle pasta, some pasta water, lemon juice, grated parmesan cheese, and more evoo; stir to emulsify and create a sauce; toss in diced tuna at the very last minute just to warm; garnish with sliced scallions and more grated parmesan.

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southwestern “egg rolls”: part two

March 30, 2014
appeteaser, the main event, the underwear diet
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1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for frying (this recipe calls for a shallow, not deep, fry, so the oil should only come up about 1/4 inch on the side of the pan)
1 small onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper (this time I used orange because it was all I had, but I like the red against the rest of the colors)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
4 cups frozen chopped spinach (from the bag, not a box, which is more compact), drained well
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup taco (or fajita) seasoning
Kosher salt to taste
8 whole wheat tortillas
8 oz pepper jack cheese

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes, and then add the corn, spinach, black beans, seasoning, and salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture starts to stick together (almost like a thick paste).
3. Mash the mixture with a potato masher to break up most of the black beans and help all the ingredients stick together.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the center of each tortilla and spread out to about 1 inch from the edge. Sprinkle with 1 oz of the grated cheese and roll into a burrito.
5. Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the folded tortillas into into the pan, seam side down, and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Cut each “egg roll” in half on a diagonal and serve with a creamy dipping sauce (I was too lazy to include in this recipe, but this time I used 2 parts plain, non-fat Greek yogurt to 1 part mayonnaise, blended with chipotles in adobo).

This is the second time documenting this recipe, but the third time I’ve made it. The second time, I brushed each “egg roll” with canola oil and baked in a 425-degree oven for about 20 minutes. It was good, but the flavor did not come close to the fried version. So, depending on your mood, either method works well, but fried is preferred.

Notes: make sure to cook out all the moisture in the vegetable mixture, otherwise the tortillas will get soggy and puff up. This round had excellent flavor but the moisture was a problem.

southwestern “egg rolls”

November 29, 2013
appeteaser, the main event
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2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp fajita or taco seasoning (alternately, use a combination of chili powder, cayenne, cumin, and garlic powder)
Kosher salt
8 medium whole wheat flour tortillas
8 oz pepper jack cheese, grated (can use non-dairy cheese to make it vegan)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise (can use eggless to make it vegan)
1/4 cup cilantro salad dressing

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes, and then add the corn, spinach, black beans, seasoning, and salt. Stir and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup in the center of a tortilla and spread out to about 1 inch from the edge. Sprinkle with 1 oz of the grated cheese and fold like a burrito.
5. Once the oil is hot, place the folded tortillas into into the oil, seam side down, and pan-fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Combine the mayonnaise and dressing and stir.
7. Cut each “egg roll” in half on a diagonal and serve with the creamy cilantro dipping sauce.

Notes: should test it out in the oven, perhaps brush each “egg roll” with oil once it’s stuffed.

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joe’s special

October 20, 2013
the main event, the underwear diet
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I must admit, I had never heard of this scramble until I read the 150th issue of Saveur, which highlighted 150 classic recipes. After whipping it up for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, I realize why it should be a mainstay in all homes.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, small dice
kosher salt and black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef (I used 94/6, but aim for at least 90/10)
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
8 eggs
Sourdough bread, for serving

1. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
4. Add beef to the pan and cook until it is no longer pink; break apart the meat with the back of a spoon to bite-size pieces or smaller.
5. Stir in the spinach and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
6. Whisk the eggs and then pour into the pan, stirring until cooked through and moisture evaporates.
7. Serve with sliced or torn sourdough bread.

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butternut squash lasagna

October 16, 2013
the main event, the underwear diet
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1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and thinly sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 sprigs fresh sage
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk
1 clove garlic, crushed
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
1 15-oz container part-skim ricotta
5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
1 lb part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. To make the squash: Gently toss the butternut squash slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter 3 sprigs of sage on top of the squash and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until caramelized.
3. To make the roux: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to the pan and stir constantly for about 1 minute. Slowly add the milk to the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add the garlic and remaining sprig of sage and cook over low heat, whisking often to prevent scorching. After 15 minutes, remove from the heat and discard garlic and sage. Season the bechamel with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne.
4. To make the ricotta: Combine ricotta with spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour 1/4 of the bechamel into the bottom of a greased pan and spread to cover the bottom (I used an 8″ x 10″ aluminum pan, but whatever you make lasagna or baked ziti in will work).
6. Place noodles over the bechamel, breaking them apart as needed to fill in all gaps.
7. Top noodles evenly with the ricotta mixture.
8. Scatter 1/4 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta.
9. Repeat the layers: bechamel, noodles, ricotta, and mozzarella. Mozzarella should be the final layer.
10. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

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Note: needs more bechamel. Adjust quantity for this recipe in the future.