Bison Black Bean Chili Recipe

A few years ago I heard Ted Turner speak about bison at the Sustainable Food Institute at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He slipped in, spoke was very opinionated and went over his allotted time, but he certainly was engaging.Attendees learned he is one of the largest landowners in North America, a proponent of conservation and a big believer in bison. He talked about bison as a means to both economic viability and environmental sustainability. Turner has a staggering 51,000 bison on his land, which is over 10% of the entire population in North America. He also runs Ted's Montana Grill where he serves bison. 

Bison are an integral part of the prairie ecosystem, grazing in herds and fertilizing plant cover. The natural behavior of bison is still very much intact because unlike cows, they are not domesticated. Bison meat is naturally lean and is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and selenium.

If you've never cooked bison before and can find it in ground form, try using it in chili. The bison itself tastes very similar to beef but is a bit richer and less fatty. This chili is mostly beans, but flavored with chiles, chile powder and spices, onion, garlic and fire roasted canned tomatoes. I generally prefer buying whole tomatoes rather than diced ones, they break up and cook down more easily than diced. Chili is one of those dishes that just gets better over time as the beans soften and the flavors meld together. I serve it with plenty of toppings--grated jack cheese, chopped green onions and cilantro and sometimes a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Note: I don't recommend soaking the beans

Black Bean & Bison Chili 

Serves 6-8 

1 pound dry black beans

1 pound ground bison meat

1 onion (white or yellow) diced

3 cloved garlic, minced 

1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

2 roasted peeled Hatch chiles (mild, medium or hot), optional 

2 Tablespoons chili powder (mild, medium or hot)

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

28 ounce can whole fire roasted tomatoes and their juice

1 Tablespoon tomato paste
Salt

Place the sorted black beans in a large Dutch oven and cover with about 10 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until tender. 

In a large pot combine the bison, onion, garlic and peppers. Cook, crumbling the meat until the meat browns and vegetables soften. Add the spices and cook for another 2 minutes then crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them and the juices to the mixture. 

Add the cooked beans and 2 cups of the bean cooking water and the tomato paste to the meat mixture, partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 30 minutes or until thick. Season to taste with salt. 

Enjoy! 

Lamb Meatballs Recipe

Nothing is more disappointing than a soggy french fry. There are lots of things I don’t just like crispy but extra crispy. Toast, onion rings, pizza crust, potato chips, breaded cutlets, pie crust, streusel. I could go on and on. And is there anything better than the crispy edges of a roast? I’m the one who wants a rare slice from the middle and a crusty slice from the end of the roast—beef, pork or lamb.

There are lots of ingredients for making food crispy and many of them contain gluten, and one of them is naturally gluten free, cream of rice. Cream of rice is finely ground rice that cooks very quickly. It can be used as a hot cereal but also in recipes like this one for baked rice custard that I plan on experimenting with shortly. When used in meatballs it absorbs moisture but also helps to create a lovely crisp texture to the surface of the meatballs. I like beef meatballs to be delicate and tender made light with ricotta or moist bread crumbs, but lamb meatballs are really good with a bit of a crust. 

I have used black pepper, cumin, paprika and cinnamon to season these meatballs, but you could change up the spices if you prefer using fresh mint or garlic, or swapping chili powder in place of paprika. You could leave out the cumin and cinammon, I added them because lamb is strong flavored and pairs well with hot, sweet and smoky spices. The meatballs are great as an appetizer, served with toothpicks but also with rice, orzo or pilaf. You can also make them bigger if you like, you’ll just need to broil them a bit longer. 

Lamb Meatballs 

Serves 4

1 pound ground lamb, 80% lean

1/4 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

1/4 cup cream of rice 

1 egg

Mix all the ingredients gently with your hands. The meatball mixture will be wet but will firm up. Refrigerate the mxiure for at least 30 minutes. Using a teaspoon scoop the mixture and roll into meatballs and place on a foil lined broiling pan. Broil meatballs for 6 minutes. Serve with tahini sauce, garlic yogurt sauce or tomato sauce. 

Enjoy! 

Christmas Lima Bean & Butternut Squash Stew Recipe

One of my new year's resolutions is to use more of the food stored in my pantry. My shelves are overflowing with packages of grains, heirloom beans, dried pasta, Asian sauces, jams, mustards, sardines, cans of tomatoes and more. My goal is to cook with something that is languishing in the pantry or my equally stuffed-to-capacity freezer, every single day. Yesterday I chose some Christmas lima beans to transform into a vegetarian main dish. Eat less meat and more vegetarian food! That is yet another new year's resolution.

Christmas lima beans are sometimes called chestnut lima beans. When uncooked they are beautifully speckled like a calico horse, and when cooked they are more uniformly brown like chestnuts--but they really don't taste like chestnuts, despite what you may have heard. They have a texture a bit like russet potatoes and a mild earthy flavor but none of the characteristic sweetness or dry crumbly texture of chestnuts.

Beans are often used in salads or soups, but Christmas lima beans are the perfect bean for making a stew because not only are they large and "meaty" but the liquid they soak and cook in becomes a rich brown gravy when reduced. I combined the beans with silky sautéed onions and chunks of sweet squash to make a satisfying meatless main dish. It's a mild but hearty dish and the toppings jazz it up considerably.

Note: I get Christmas lima beans from bulk bins at Rainbow Grocery, you can also get them online.

Christmas Lima Bean & Butternut Squash Stew
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

2 cups Christmas lima beans
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2-1 teaspoon red chili paste or harissa
1/4 teaspoon minced peeled ginger

Toppings:
Extra virgin olive oil
Wedges of lemon
Crumbled soft goat cheese, optional
Chopped cilantro, optional

Instructions

Place the beans in a large dutch oven and cover with water. Water should rise at least one inch over the top of the beans. Let soak overnight.

Do not drain the water! Simmer the beans gently until tender, probably an hour or so. Add the butternut squash and more water if necessary, cover and gently simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is cooked.

Meanwhile in a separate skillet heat the olive oil and add the onion. Add the salt to the onions and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin, chili paste and ginger. When fragrant, add the onion mixture to the beans and squash. Simmer without the lid until the remaining liquid thickens to make a velvety gravy. Taste for seasoning.

Top each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon and any other toppings you like. 

Enjoy!

Polenta Stuffed Artichokes Recipe

My recipe for polenta stuffed artichokes came about thanks to winning some heirloom artichokes from Ocean Mist. When I was working on my first cookbook I needed artichokes and it wasn’t quite artichoke season. Fortunately Ocean Mist came to my rescue and kindly shipped me a whole carton full and I’ve been a fan ever since. I've found each of the varieties of artichokes they grow to be particularly plump and meaty with great flavor and not overly bitter. I'm a subscriber to their newsletter (join the free Artichoke Club) which alerts me to when and where artichokes are on sale locally and sometimes also gives away artichokes.

Most recipes use just the artichoke hearts or they call for stuffing the whole artichoke with bread crumb stuffing. I decided to try an entirely different kind of stuffing — lemon and goat cheese polenta. Artichokes tend to make other ingredients taste sweet, so the tangy and salty flavor profile of lemon and cheese complements it perfectly. It will seem like a lot of polenta, but it's what makes the dish so hearty. Use as much or as little of the polenta as you like. 

This is a very satisfying vegetarian main dish. If you don't have a microwave oven, you can prepare the artichoke and the polenta any way you prefer. Artichokes can be steamed on the stove and polenta can be cooked on the stove or in the oven, see instructions on the package. Note: This recipe requires that you trim off the stem. But don't throw it away! Steam it and peel it, and you'll find it has the same flavor and texture of an artichoke heart. 

Polenta Stuffed Artichokes

Single serving, easily multiplied 

1 large globe artichoke

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup medium polenta

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano

2 Tablespoons fresh goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon minced parsley

Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichoke and cut off top 1/2 inch of the leaves so the top is flat and no thorny tips remain. Trim the stem so the artichoke will stand upright. Cook the artichoke, as desired until tender. To steam in the microwave: Place the artichoke stem side up with 1/4 cup of water in a microwave safe soup mug or bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave at 1000 watts for 6 minutes).

To make the polenta in the microwave: Combine the water, milk and polenta in a microwave safe 2 quart casserole with a lid. Cover partially and microwave at 500 watts for 8 minutes. Stir then microwave, uncovered, for another 2 minutes or until thick and creamy. Stir in the salt, lemon zest, Parmigiano Reggiano and the goat cheese until smooth.

Stand the artichoke on a plate. Gently pull the leaves back and spread them to make room for the stuffing. Spoon the polenta into the leaves using a small dessert spoon or teaspoon. Sprinkle with parsley. 

Enjoy!

Panforte Recipe

When I worked in a gourmet retail store as a teenager, I got a chance to try many delectable things. I sampled high quality chocolates imported from Europe, pistachios from Iran, Alice Medrich's mammoth truffles, and panforte made by Margaret Fox of Cafe Beaujolais. I'll never forget those heavy round thick loaves, wrapped in dark red or green cellophane. Thin chewy slices served with or tea or alongside cheese seemed so sophisticated. It was definitely the best fruitcake I ever tasted. 

My parents made panforte too and last year I realized it would be the perfect thing to make with a surplus of candied lemon peel. My recipe uses rice flour instead of wheat flour, which means it is gluten free! If you have nuts in your freezer, and they weren't bought this season, they are probably from last season and now is a good time to finish them off. 

This recipe is very adaptable, you can switch out the cranberries and use dried cherries or berries if you prefer or swap out about 1/4 of candied ginger for some of the citrus peel. I imagine if you wanted to make it vegan you could also use coconut oil instead of butter. It makes a really nice gift, even just a wedge of it. Cut the loaves with a heavy knife and wrap wedges  in parchment paper, and then in colored cellophane if you have it and seal with a sticker. Otherwise fasten the parchment using tape or twine. 

Panforte

Makes 1 -2 loaves

2 cups toasted nuts, preferably almonds and hazelnuts

1 1/3 cups candied citrus peel, preferably homemade lemon

3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried figs, such as Mission or Calimyrna

1/4 cup dried cranberries

½ cup sweet rice flour 

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup honey

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Rice flour for the pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 6 inch oven proof pans (I use enameled cast iron ones) or an 8 inch pan you could use a springform pan with parchment paper. Dust the parchment paper with rice flour. 

Combine the almonds, hazelnuts, candied peel, figs, rice flour, zest and spices together in a bowl and stir until combined the ingredients are dusted with the rice flour. 

Measure the sugar, honey, and butter into a large dutch oven and cook over low heat just until butter melts. Take the dutch oven off the heat and working fairly quickly, add the fruit nut mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pans, and press until as smooth and even as possible. The easiest way to do this is to place another smaller pot or pan on top of the mixture and press. Dust the top with more rice flour.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until set. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan. Remove the from the pan, brush the rice flour from the panforte using a pastry brush. To serve slice into thin wedges. 

Enjoy! 

Zucchini Noodles Recipe

My love of pasta is no secret, but I’m cutting back. An article in the New York Times covering the latest research about the benefit of low carbohydrate diets has me rethinking my noodle consumption. I won’t give them up completely but now and again I can see trying something different. Something like zucchini noodles. 

For a long time I’ve wanted one of those spiralizer type tools. But they are rather expensive and I just wasn’t sure how much use I’d get out of them. There is actually an easy way to make “noodles” out of zucchini or other vegetables using a box grater. You just lay the grater on its side like a mandoline! But I’ve just recently tried out the Microplane spiral cutter and it’s an even better option. At $14.95 it’s a lot less expensive than some of the other tools and takes up very little space. It also has two sizes so you can shred larger or smaller vegetables. 

The downside to using this gadget is that it takes some time to get used to it, and to figure out how much pressure to exert to get the thickness of noodles you like. It also leaves a little stubby core of the vegetable. But it’s relatively easy to use and clean once you get the hang of it. 

I don’t like raw zucchini, but by cooking the zucchini noodles in a pan sauce, you get a lovely texture and the zucchini does seem to absorb a bit of the sauce. You can also blanch the "noodles" quickly in boiling water to take off the raw edge and then toss them with a cool sauce like pesto. I’ve only begun experimenting with zucchini noodles but I’m enjoying them so far. While not chewy, they do have a lovely slippery feel. 

Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Tomato Sauce 

Makes 2 servings 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 medium zucchini 

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 

1/3 cup peeled small to medium raw shrimp, optional 

Trim then shred the zucchini using the large holes on a box grater or using a “spiralizer” tool. Heat a skillet and add the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and cook gently until they begin to break down and become saucy.

Add the zucchini and garlic and cook until the sauce reduces by about half. Add the shrimp, if desired, and cook just until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, the time will vary depending upon the size of the shrimp but probably no more than a minute or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: My thanks to Microplane for providing me with the spiral cutter to test. 

Roasted Garlic and Potato Dip Recipe

Greek cuisine features many great snacks and nibbles from olives to pastries and dips. An easy dip to make is skordalia. Recipes vary regionally, but generally feature garlic, extra virgin olive oil and potatoes though sometimes egg yolks, almonds or bread as well. The problem for me is raw garlic which gets more and more potent over time. The solution? Roast garlic.

Roast garlic is sweet and soft and most important, mellow. It won't overpower most dishes like this skordalia inspired dip made with potatoes, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and roast garlic, instead of raw. Not only is this dip good for Passover, it's vegetarian (vegan if you use vegan mayo) and gluten free! That is if you use a gluten free mayonnaise, which adds additional creaminess to the dip.

I have been experimenting with "roasting" garlic in the microwave oven, but whatever technique you want to use is fine. The main thing is not to overcook it. It should be soft and creamy but not too darkly caramelized. I use 3-4 cloves, but feel free to use as much as you like. Serve it with fresh vegetables for dipping.

Roasted Garlic and Potato Dip

1 russet potato
4 cloves roasted garlic (use any method you like)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Water
Salt

Bake or microwave the potato until thoroughly cooked. You are not going to use the skin so however you prefer to cook it is fine. When cool enough to handle, slice open and scoop the potato out of the skin. Place the potato in a bowl with the garlic cloves and mash. Mix in the olive oil, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Add enough water to make a thick dip. Season to taste with salt.

Enjoy!

Beet Almond Dip Recipe

I'm in the midst of creating 101 recipes for a new cookbook (it was announced March 3rd). As a result, I haven't been cooking anything other than recipes for the book. But Passover is coming up and I've been asked to bring appetizers to the seder dinner. Appetizers for Passover are a bit tricky. If the meal is meat, which is typical, then you can't use any dairy. In addition you can't use legumes, seeds and most grains. So that means things like hummus and baba ghahoush are out so are cheeses and dairy based dips. What's left? Vegetables and nuts. Also eggs and meat (chopped liver is typical).

Recently I received some samples of Melissa's Organic Baby Beets, peeled and steamed and ready to eat. These cooked beets are great for salads but I decided to try use them to make a dip. Instead of tahini, I used blanched almonds. Beets and almonds are really nice together. But they are both sweet, so I added ginger and lemon to cut the sweetness. It also needs plenty of salt.

You can serve this dip with chips or fresh vegetables. It's creamy and smooth and even though I felt like I was cheating on my Vitamix, I did test it in my ancient Cuisinart food processor and got great results. I am thinking about making another dip using roasted carrots and almonds. What do you think?

Beet Almond Dip 

Ingredients

1/4 cup blanched almonds
2 Tablespoons water
1 cup sliced cooked beets
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt

Instructions

Process the almonds and water in the food processor for a minute or so, until white and creamy but not completely smooth. Add the beets and process, scraping down the sides from time to time. Finally add the lemon juice and olive oil and ginger. Season to taste with salt.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My thanks to Melissa's for providing me with the beets 

Warm Cauliflower Dip Recipe

Tahini is a very rich sesame seed paste used in hummus. But that's not the only thing you can do with tahini. It adds richness and creaminess to a variety of dishes including salads, fish, grilled meats and vegetables. To make an amazing tahini sauce, all you have to do is combine tahini, mashed garlic, water and lemon juice. You can make it to be thick and creamy or thin and saucy. Either way it is delicious.

Recently I needed to make some appetizers that were lactose free. I looked in my fridge and found a head of cauliflower and some tahini (which is a staple ingredient at my house) and those formed the basis of this luscious warm cauliflower dip. No butter, no cheese. No problem! 

Warm cauliflower dip is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and lactose free. So pretty much anyone should be able to enjoy it. It's surprisingly rich and creamy, considering it doesn't have any cream. I made it the first time in my Vitamix, but I tested it in the food processor and it came out just great that way too. You could add hot sauce or a splash of lemon juice if you want to customize it. You could also use it as a spread for sandwiches or wraps. It's good at room temperature or warm. 

Warm Cauliflower Dip

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
Head of garlic
Olive oil
2 Tablespoons tahini
2-3 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Black sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic clove, just enough to expose the cloves. Cut away the core of the cauliflower and break it into small pieces. Place the cauliflower and whole head of garlic on a rimmed baking sheet (I line mine with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up). Drizzle the vegetables with a little oil, about a tablespoon or so. Roast for 45 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown in spots.

Transfer the cauliflower to the food processor. When the garlic is cooled enough to handle, squeeze it from the skins and add as much of it as you'd like into the food processor. I use about 5 cloves (save the rest to add to mashed potatoes). Add the tahini, salt and cumin. Puree, adding as much water as you need to form a  very thick and creamy dip. Taste for seasonings. You may need to add more salt or tahini, it really depends on the size and flavor of the cauliflower. Garnish with black sesame seeds. Serve with crudités, endive leaves or chips. You can keep this in the refrigerator for several days and gently reheat in the microwave (or serve at room temperature). 

Enjoy! 

Chestnut and Celery Root Soup Recipe

My CSA or community supported agriculture box of produce from Eatwell Farms challenges me with every delivery this season. Bok choy? Cabbage? Celery root? Sure I have a recipe or two for each of those, but week after week and I get bored and need to find something new. As much as I love celery root salad and mash I think I've discovered a recipe I like even better, Chestnut and Celery Root Soup. It would be perfect to serve on Christmas or on New Year's Eve. 

This is the epitome of a shortcut recipe with few ingredients and a reliance on a couple of convenience items namely roasted, peeled and vacuum packed chestnuts I find at Trader Joe's and canned chicken broth. I've mentioned it before, but when I don't have homemade chicken broth, I find Swanson's to be the next best thing. The prep for this soup takes more time than the cooking and it's just a matter of peeling, slicing and dicing onions, celery root and an apple pear. 

Chestnut and Celery Root Soup is really very elegant and rich despite the fact that it has no cream in it. I took my inspiration from a Daniel Boulud recipe I found on Dorie Greenspan's blog, In the Kitchen and on the Road with Dorie Greenspan. That recipe is much more of a chef recipe than mine, but trust me, mine is delicious! It has lots of depth and  a nice balance of sweetness and earthy flavors. 

Chestnut and Celery Root Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon oil

1 small onion, peeled and sliced thinly 

1 apple pear (you could use an apple or a pear if you prefer), peeled and diced

1 celery root, peeled and diced 

1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth or homemade

1/2 cup cooked and peeled chestnuts

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Nutmeg

Cream or sour cream, optional for garnish

Instructions

Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan. When the butter melts, add the onion. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until soft, then ad the pear and celery root and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, then fill the can with water and add that as well. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes or until the celery root is very tender. 

Add the chestnuts to the soup and puree in the blender in batches until creamy. Season with salt and add a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg. Serve with a swirl of sour cream or cream and a few bits of chestnut if desired. 

Enjoy! 

Easy Almond Cookies Recipe

This is the easiest almond cookie recipe ever. And I bet you could use an easy cookie recipe about now. It requires only a few ingredients and you prepare the dough in the food processor so making them takes maybe 10 minutes and there's barely any clean up. They are a variation of almond macaroons, rich and chewy with just a little crunch from the almond on top. The secret is a hint of almond extract, and to really processing the ingredients until they make a very easy to work with dough.

I was recently sent some almonds from the Almond Board and I was looking for a good way to use them. There are lots of similar recipes to this one, but the comments on Epicurious led me to make a crucial change in the recipe. I cut the sugar in half. I also made slightly larger cookies than the recipe calls for and skipped dusting them in confectioners sugar. It might seem odd to add almond extract to almond cookies, but without it they can be a little bland. Because they are such dense little bites, they won't crumble making them good for travel or shipping. They are gluten free and have no added oil or butter.

While no one eats cookies for health purposes, these are pretty healthy. Lots of research has been done on almonds and they are a true nutritional powerhouse very high in manganese, vitamin E and magnesium and eating them lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart attack. So eat them in good health!

Easy Almond Cookies
Makes 14 cookies, but recipe can easily be multiplied
adapted from a recipe published in Gourmet magazine, 1997

Ingredients

1 cup blanched almonds, whole or slivered
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
14 whole almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor combine the almonds, sugar and salt. Process until very finely ground. Add the egg white and almond extract and pulse until the dough comes together. Roll the dough into 14 evenly sized balls, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Press one almond into the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly.

Bake for 10 minutes or until just starting to show a hint of gold. Let cookies cool on the pan, then transfer to an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe

The drinks and dishes I tried on my trip to Avery Island inspired me to think about Tabasco in new ways. Of course you can use it in things like in guacamole or in a bloody mary, but how about something unexpected, for example, cookies?

I made François Payard Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Cookies twice during Passover this year and they were gobbled up so quickly that I didn't even get to snap a photo. After following the recipe closely, I decided to put my own twist on it. The cookies are mostly powdered sugar, cocoa powder and egg whites. They are crisp and crackly on the outside but moist and fudgy, almost like brownies on the inside. But perhaps not surprisingly, they are a bit sweet.

To temper the sweetness I added Tabasco and cacao nibs. The Tabasco gives just a hint of heat in the background. You'll barely notice it, but it definitely takes these cookies to the next level. While the toasted walnuts add crunch and a contrasting bitterness, unsweetened cacao nibs help to balance the sweetness even more. Though I wouldn't call these cookies spicy, they do remind me of hot chocolate. The original recipes calls for Dutch process cocoa, but I tested it with natural cocoa (Hershey's and Valrhona) and it worked fine. I make the cookies smaller than Payard does because I'd rather have two cookies than one, but feel free to make them whatever size you like best. You can also make a half batch.

Hot Chocolate Cookies (adapted from François Payard)
makes about 40

Ingredients

2 cups walnut halves
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process or natural)

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

2/3 cup cacao nibs


Instructions

Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Chop the walnut roughly, place on a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7-10 minutes, just until they are golden and fragrant. Let walnuts cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder and salt. Add the egg whites, vanilla and Tabasco and stir just until the batter is moistened (do not overbeat). Fold in the walnuts and cacao nibs using a spatula. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of batter onto the baking sheets (or make them as large as a tablespoon if you prefer) and bake for 15 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked. Let cookies cool then peel off the parchment paper.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I created this recipe on behalf of Tabasco and I was compensated for it. The choice to post it here, was my own.

Grapefruit Radicchio Salad Recipe

As part of my resolution to eat more salad, I am trying to buy ingredients that can be turned into a salad without too much fuss. You practically need to buy tender salad greens every day so I've been buying crunchy vegetables and hardier leafy greens instead. On my shopping lists these days are daikon radish, carrots, celery, fennel and red radishes. Shaved thin, they all are great salad fixings. I also buy avocados, and some citrus fruit to gussy up my salads.

I made this particular salad one night when I wasn't hungry enough for dinner and I had very little in the house to cook anyway. I loved it so much that I keep going back to the store to buy the same ingredients so I can make it again! It's based on my very faulty recollection of the Grapefruit Jicama Salad from the Slanted Door.

I particularly like the combination of Napa cabbage and radicchio. They are sturdy crunchy greens, (ok, technically not green at all!) but less hardy than red or green cabbage. I used O Clementine olive oil. It's just lovely, but any citrus infused olive oil would be fine if you have some on hand, otherwise use any extra virgin olive oil you like. The salad also includes candied pecans. I have made candied pecans hundreds of times and this is the easiest method of all.


Grapefruit Radicchio Salad Serves 2 as an entree or 4 as a starter

Ingredients

2 cups radicchio, shredded
1 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
1 grapefruit
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or citrus flavored olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

In a small frying pan combine the pecans with the sugar and a teaspoon of water, cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the sugar gets very brown take the pan off the heat and sprinkle the nuts with a pinch of salt and the smoked paprika, stir and let cool in the pan, making sure the nuts are separated from each other so they don't clump together.

Toss the radicchio and cabbage in a bowl. Peel the grapefruit using a knife to remove all the pith. Cut between the membranes to remove only the segments and drop them into the bowl with the salad. Using your hands, squeeze the remaining juice out of the grapefruit membranes and core, onto the salad. Add the olive oil and vinegar and toss. Top with the cooled candied pecans. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds Recipe

The most challenging thing about quinoa is learning how to pronounce it, "keen-wah." After that, it's smooth sailing. A super healthy Peruvian "grain," quinoa is as delicious as it is healthy. While quinoa tastes and cooks as if it were a grain, it's actually a seed and has a light, mild flavor and somewhat chewy and creamy texture. It does a wonderful job of absorbing the flavors in dressings or vinaigrettes. Think of it as a healthier version of couscous that you can serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

I used to visit a shop on Grant Avenue in North Beach that had lots of vintage ephemera. The postcard that said "California, land of fruits and nuts" always cracked me up. Fruits and nuts. You have no idea. California is such a magnet for weirdos, and I mean that in a good way. As an agricultural state, we also happen to have lots of actual fruits and nuts. We are the top agriculture state, and the nation’s sole producer (99 percent or more) of a large number of specialty crops, including almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, grapes, raisins, pistachios, clingstone peaches, dried plums, sweet rice, pomegranates and walnuts, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

I used the sunny California combination of almonds and tangerines in this salad, but you could use segments of navel orange, clementines or any other sweet citrus fruit. This salad is good at room temperature. It would make a perfect accompaniment to grilled fish or roast chicken, but it would also be a good potluck dish. You could go even more "California" and serve it piled high in an avocado half. It will keep for a day or so, but it best eaten soon after you make it.

Note:This recipe calls for the juice and zest of half a lemon. Zest the lemon while it's still whole, then cut it in half and juice it.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted AlmondsServes 4

Ingredients

1 tangerine, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (remove as much of the membranes as you can)
1 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 lemon, preferably organic
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon sriracha, or more to taste
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced toasted almonds

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, then toast it in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until it is fragrant.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread out the quinoa on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.



Finely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze the juice into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley and sriracha. Fold in the quinoa and tangerine pieces, season to taste with salt and top with almonds just before serving.

Enjoy!

More fruity quinoa salads

Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach & Chickpeas and Maple Vinaigrette from Gluten Free Goddess

Quinoa Salad with Grapes from the Kitchn

Pineapple Quinoa Salad with With Sweet Curry Vinaigrette from Poor Girl Eats Well

Quinoa Salad with Mango & Herb Marinated Shrimp from Well Fed