Cranberry lime margaritas

If you think margaritas are only for summer, think again! In the process of cleaning out my place, I found an almost-empty bottle of Sauza tequila and decided it would make the trip home with me for Christmas. And the result was these yummy cranberry lime margaritas that I made on Christmas day. Plus, Christmas glasses can make any cocktail feel more festive!

Cheers!

Cranberry lime margaritas
Makes ~5 servings
Source: Bobby Flay via POPSUGAR.

Ingredients
1 cup tequila blanco
1 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup orange liqueur, such as triple sec or Cointreau
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime wedges, fresh cranberries for garnish

Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a large pitcher. Add ice and stir until chilled. Pour into glasses or strain into margarita glasses. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a lime wedge, if desired, and enjoy!

Falafel

Deep frying is not really in my home cooking repertoire, so I have never attempted falafel before. I still remember my first introduction to those deep fried balls of chickpea goodness in the form of a late-night street falafel in Amsterdam when I was 20. 

While this doesn’t even come close that, it’s a decent substitute that is pretty easy and healthier. Who doesn’t love having a food processor do all the chopping and mixing? It does take some time though, so plan head. One must patiently wait for the falafel mixture to chill. If you prep it a day ahead, this would be a great weeknight meal since the actual cooking time is super quick.

I used Joseph’s flax, oat, and whole wheat mini pitas which were the perfect size for two falafels, a little lettuce, a few grape tomatoes, and the tahini sauce. Also, check out this awesome pita trick from Bon Appetit!

Ingredient prep

Falafel
Serves: 4-6
Source: adapted from Just a Taste

Ingredients
Falafel
1 medium onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves
1 can (15.5 ounces) garbanzo beans
1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves 
1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Falafel dough, browning

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup canola oil
2-3 Tablespoons canola oil
Pita bread for serving (and other toppings as desired)

Tahini sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup tahini
Juice from 1 lemon (2 Tablespoons)

Directions

Golden brown, but not deep fried, goodness

1. Add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Remove mixture and set it aside. Add garbanzo beans, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until just roughly blended.

Falafel-stuffed pita


2. Add the onion mixture back to the food processor, in addition to the baking powder and 1/4 cup of the flour. Pulse mixture until blended and starts to form a ball. Add additional flour and pulse as needed until the mixture is not sticky. Cover food processor bowl and refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.

3. To make the sauce, stir together the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Once the falafel mixture is done chilling, form the mixture into balls (around 16 of ’em).

5. In a large saute pan, heat 2 Tablespoons canola oil over medium heat. Add falafel, flatten a bit, and brown for about 3 minutes. Flip and brown on the second side for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined cooling rack and season with salt. Repeat until all falafel have been cooked.

6. Fill a pita with falafel (as many as will fit), drizzle with tahini sauce, and enjoy!

German red cabbage

I’ve had a head of red cabbage hanging around for awhile…I’m talking almost a month, it really lasts! I’ve used a bit here and there to add to salads, but I decided it deserved a starring role in something, aka this tangy German red cabbage. This takes a bit of chopping and a bit of patience as it needs to cook for about an hour, so plan ahead.

Shredded cabbage

I like mine a bit more sour than sweet, so feel free to adjust the brown sugar and vinegar proportions to your liking. And if you want the apple to kind of dissolve into the cabbage, then chop it small and throw it in with the onion. If you want it to stay looking like apple pieces, then throw them in for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Either way, you don’t have to peel it.

Step 2, mixing in the ingredients


German red cabbage
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 medium apple, sliced or chopped
1 head red cabbage, shredded
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Dinner is served!

1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions
1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion (and apple, if desired) and saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.

2. Add cabbage, brown sugar, cider vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and cloves. Mix until combined and cook until liquid starts to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

3. If you didn’t add the apple in step 1, mix in the apple and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Chicken and bok choy soup

Last weekend was cold, rainy, and perfect for soup in the slow cooker. While I usually like a “dump and cook” approach to the slow cooker, I decided to do a quick saute of the veg prior to the slow cooker to add a bit more depth of flavor. Also, I did this the night before so the next morning I just had to dump everything in and turn it on.

Bok choy!

I used udon noodles, which I also cooked separately and then added at the end to prevent overcooked, soggy noodles. The worst! 

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 bunches of bok choy, washed and chopped

Slow cooker, before adding liquid

1 Tablespoon roasted red chile paste
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 hot pepper, optional
6 cups chicken broth
Cooked rice or noodles, optional

Directions

Soup’s on!

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, carrot, and celery until just starting to soften. Add in bok choy, chile paste, and soy sauce and cook for additional 3-5 minutes. The veggies do not have to be cooked through. 

2. Spray ceramic pot of slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken breast, bok choy mixture, hot pepper, broth, and 2 cups of water. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

3. Remove chicken breast and shred. Stir shredded chicken and rice or noodles into soup and continue to cook until heated through. Remove hot peppers before serving, then mangia!

September RC – Waypoint

Crudo of the day

I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of Chef Michael Scelfo’s new restaurant near Harvard Square, Waypoint. I follow him on Instagram (@mscelfo) so have been drooling over the pics he’s been posting for months. It finally opened at the end of August, so how could I not make this my pick for 2016? Waypoint is “coastally inspired,” aka there is a lot of seafood on the menu.

Chopped clam pizza

I had a reservation for eight people at 5:30 PM. When the numbers dropped to six, I called to see if they could accommodate us a little later, which they did. Luckily they continued to be accommodating as most of us were late due to T and traffic issues. After my two-hour drive from work, cocktails were definitely in order. They have a very interesting cocktail menu, including several absinthe concoctions. Absinthe is a liquor that is very high in alcohol content. But not to worry, the folks at How Stuff Works tell me that it does not cause hallucinations. I started with a “Williams Fall” which had vodka, roasted bartlett pear, chrysanthemum, and lemon. Delish. I usually stay away from milk punch, since milk and I don’t always get along, but a sip of the “Milk punch of the moment” was quite yummy and I was quite in awe of the fancy ice cube.

Market vegetable roast

The menu is divided into snacks, raw bar, pizza, pasta, roasts (for 2-3), and plates. We wanted to be equal opportunity and try something from each section. First up, by way of a recommendation from the host, was the house made breads with smoked seaweed butter and walnut & anchovy dip. Kenny is the pastry chef and we were told he baked this bread for us that morning. It was fancy bread…seaweed bread, fish sauce baguette, and squid ink bread…and it tasted like bread. Kenny is definitely a VIP on the menu as he also has a hand in several other dishes, with all of his tasty crumbles and croutons. The seaweed butter and dip were also yummy. But as someone at the table pointed out, “I love butter, don’t care what’s in it.”

Uni bucatini

The raw bar was next, with a selection of the day’s oysters and the crudo of the day. And this is where I just can’t ever seem to take notes fast enough. The oysters were East Beach Blondes (Ninigret Pond, RI), First Encounter (Eastham), and Peter’s Point (Buzzards Bay, MA). I liked two of them better than the third, but I have no remembrance of which one was which anymore. I loved the fennel and chive mignonette that they came with; others loved the hot sauce. I don’t know if anyone tried the fish pepper cocktail sauce. The crudo was Alaskan King salmon with pickled Maine blueberries, oil-cured wild mushrooms, and rye crumble. This was outstanding…the combination made for perfect bites, especially with the crunch of the little croutons (I told you Kenny was a VIP).

Octopus polpetti

Next it was on to the clam pizza and the char belly. The chopped clam came with parsley, peperoncino, and pecorino and was delish. It was super thin, super lemony and those “clams did not come out of can” (said Tracy). Now normally I love char, but this dish was a little underwhelming. Perhaps it was because there was so many other standouts throughout the meal.

Bone marrow with lobster salad

The final “course” included some of the most memorable. The roast for the table was the market vegetable, which was gorgeous. It had so many beautiful late-season veggies and the Romanesco was the star. What else was in it? You name it…radish, tomato, potato, patty pans, corn salsa, all served over cashew and herb butter. We also ordered the Uni bucatini, the octopus polpetti, and the bone marrow. The pastas were both so so good, the bucatini came with smoked egg yolk, pecorino, and bottarga and the octopus polpetti came with wheat spaccatelli, mint, chiles, garum, and ricotta salata. The bone marrow (aka meat buttah!) came with lobster salad, tarragon, and Kenny’s croissant crumbs. This was super rich and decadent so one bite on the buttery bread (thanks Kenny!) was just enough. I don’t think I’ve had the bone marrow at Toro, but someone said that this ranks up there with that.

The dessert game was on point, which is always a nice surprise! No one warned us that the cinnamon sugar donuts were regular-sized donuts, so we got two orders and still managed to polish them off along with the accompanying dark chocolate ganache with cacao and coffee. To balance out the chocolate we also got the hearth-baked fruit crostada (apple) that came with maple ice cream.

Cinnamon sugar donuts!

I loved this meal and I’m still dreaming about the clam pizza, the market vegetables, and those pastas. If I had to guess, that’s what the others are still dreaming about too (and probably the bone marrow and the salmon crudo). Welcome to the neighborhood, Waypoint!

The damage (and to distract yourself from the actual numbers on the bill, you can lose yourself in the “Choose Your Own Adventure” book that the check came in)
$100 per person

The rundown
Waypoint
1030 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
@waypointharvard

Corn, leek, and goat cheese flatbread

I am still a New Yorker at heart, so I think it might be a rule that I have to call this recipe a “flatbread” and not a pizza. Either way, I can also call it delectable. Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was cooking up an idea for leeks and corn? Well this is the result…and I will definitely be making it again!

Leek, corn, collard mixture


Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 a bunch of greens (kale, collards, Swiss chard, spinach), thinly sliced
2 cups corn, preferably fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
Pizza dough
1 Tablespoon whole wheat flour (for stretching dough)
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
Sliced tomato (optional)
Corn meal (for pizza stone)

Directions
1. Allow pizza dough to come to room temperature-ish to be able to easily stretch it. Allow goat cheese to soften so that it can be easily spread.

Flatbread!


2. In a large pan, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally Add additional Tablespoon olive oil and stir in greens and corn. Cook for additional 4-5 minutes until greens are softened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

4. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and use more as needed to stretch the pizza dough to its desired size, thickness, and shape. Transfer dough to a pizza stone or baking tray that has been sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent it from sticking.

5. Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the pizza dough, then top with sliced tomatoes and the corn, leek, and greens mixture. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Black bean and corn salad

It’s my birthday week (month) and my gift to you is an old favorite. This salad went perfectly with the other Mexican-themed dishes I recently took to a potluck (tomatillo salsa and guacamole). And I got the chance to use fresh corn and add some sweet yellow pepper and tomatoes from my CSA haul over the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately I ran out of cilantro so I just left it out, which I figured is safe in case someone at the potluck was anti-cilantro. Yes, those people do exist… 

Trio of chip accompaniments

I adjusted the recipe a bit below, officially omitting the salt and getting rid of the instructions to mix up the dressing in advance. Who has time for that? I say just throw everything in, and as long as you stir it well, it will be great!

Flashback: May 16,2012

Corn and black bean salad
Source: adapted from allrecipes.com
Serves: 4+

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Ready for my close-up!

1/2 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sweet corn (preferably fresh [cooked] or frozen)
Any other veggies you’d like to throw in, or some diced avocado works well too!


Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Stir well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

2. There is not step two other than to enjoy!

Raw tomatillo salsa

I *finally* decided what to do with these beautiful tomatillos. Usually if we get tomatillos, we get one or two, which is never enough to actually make something substantial. So this was quite exciting and the only question that remained was raw or roasted tomatillo salsa? I went with raw because, no cooking required!

Tomatillos and a hot pepper


I got some hot red peppers this week…of questionable heat. At least I checked in before using them like the cute little sweet “yummy peppers” we sometimes get. The combination of green and red was like Christmas, and it went well with chips and guacamole.

Raw tomatillo salsa
Source: Rick Bayless
Makes: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

Salsa!

4 medium (about 8 ounces) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered
1 hot pepper, ribs and seeds removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (loosely packed)
1 large garlic clove, peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender jar or food processor. Add 1/4 cup water and process to a coarse puree (start low and pulse if using a blender).

2. Pour into a salsa dish and thin with a little more water if necessary. Taste and season with additional salt if desired. Enjoy right away.

    August RC – Little Donkey

    Little Donkey corn

    RC is one way to start the week off right! This was Claire’s month and so we headed to Little Donkey in my ‘hood on a Monday evening in late August. I have to admit that I’d been there before. Twice. Little Donkey opened in July and I think Jamie Bissonette and Ken Oringer are a great addition to Central Square! “Like it’s name, the restaurant will be a dependable staple to the neighborhood – open early morning to late night.”

    BLT lettuce wraps

    Our server described the menu as “global tapas” and suggested 2-4 plates per person. With a smaller crew of just four, we dutifully followed his instruction and even wrote everything down on the back of the raw bar menu. The menu is divided into five sections and we wanted to try at least one thing from each section: Charcuteria, Hors D’Oeuvres, Pastas & Grains, Vegetables & Salads, and Meat & Fish. As with tapas, the plates came out as they were ready. The pace started out fine but got a little overwhelming in the middle.

    Up first, the corn and the Parker House rolls. The corn is Little Donkey’s version of the corn at Toro. If you haven’t tried the corn at Toro, you should, though good luck getting a table. This is Silver Queen corn with Parmesan, bone marrow, bonito, aioli, and hot sauce. I liked that it was easy access (aka not on the cob) and that the bonito flakes waved at you from the dish. I also liked the dish, which was definitely a theme throughout the meal. The Parker House rolls were buttery and salty and stuffed with yellow chives and Chinese sausage. I enjoyed them, but it’s rare that I dislike a starch. The rest of the table thought that this delicious, but not unique…no special snowflake in this dish!

    Charred avocado, aka the perfect bite

    Farro kimchi fried rice

    After the “first course” the dishes started to come fast and furious. Next up was the black pepper popovers with Wagyu steak tartare, the BLT lettuce wraps, and the charred avocado. All three of these dishes were among my favorites of the night. The charred avocado was half an avocado topped with pepitas, yogurt, and pomegranate molasses. We divided the half into quarters and it was a perfect bite, fresh and perfectly balanced. The tartare was super fresh and had a really interesting and delicious texture. The BLT lettuce wraps came with tomato jam, pimiento cheese, yellow tomatoes, plums, pickled onions, mayo, and lamb bacon. Meaty, thick-cut bacon. It was fun to DIY the lettuce wrap, but there was actually a disproportion of filling to lettuce…that never happens! I would definitely order all three of these dishes again. At this point I’m starting to feel full and happy, but we were only 50% of the way through the 10 dishes we so diligently ordered.

    The next to arrive was the farro kimchi fried rice, the burger, and the red lentil kale dahl. The farro, which came with egg, scallion, bean sprouts, Thai herbs, and green curry was the universal “winner” of this round. The answer to “do you want to add an egg on top” is always yes. This dish was one of the larger (in size) dishes and I probably could have eaten the whole thing. Yes, I know I just said I was getting full…this is a dish you make room for. I’ve tried the burger before and liked it, but you have to like dry aged beef and foie gras. It definitely had a little funk to it and got mixed reviews from the table. I loved the presentation but you better believe I did not use the m-towelette. The dahl was the least favorite across the board as it was too sweet. I’ve also had this before and don’t remem

    Manti

    ber it being that sweet.

    And last but not least, the manti (Istanbul meat ravioli) and the octopus a la plancha. I don’t think I’ve ever had manti before, and wow, they were delicious…definitely another fave. The octopus was also delicious. I always get a little nervous about ordering octopus because it can be really rubbery if it’s overcooked. This was cooked perfectly and pretty much melted in your mouth.

    We couldn’t resist the chocolate chip cookie dough for dessert, which is served on beaters with milk espuma (not a fan) and cocoa nibs. Delish.

    Cookie dough!

    RC was smaller than our yuge, but no less delicious. And as always, the company was just as rich as the meal…great pick Claire! I’m up for next month’s pick, no pressure! Any suggestions?

    The damage
    $75 per person

    The rundown
    Little Donkey
    505 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge (Central Square)
    @LittleDonkeyBoston (IG)
    @LittleDonkeyBos

    Chard and ricotta pie

    I love trying new recipes, but I also rely on some staples in the KCaE archives. So I’ve decided to occasionally repost some of the “classics” like this Chard and ricotta pie. I can’t believe I’ve been making this for more than four years! 

    This is one that really comes in handy when I have a plethora of greens and eggs. It really works for any meal. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the chard, and if you don’t have green onions then a regular ol’ white or yellow onion works just fine. You can make this in a pie plate or a muffin tin. The muffin tin works great for breakfast or snacks on the go.


    Flashback: March 13, 2012

    Pie for dinner!


    Chard and ricotta pie
    Source: Good Housekeeping
    Serves: 4 main-dish servings (or about 18 individual “pies”)

    Ingredients
    1 large head Swiss chard
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly
    Salt and pepper
    Red pepper flakes
    4 large eggs
    1 container (15 ounces) part skim ricotta cheese
    3/4 cup low-fat milk
    1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    2 Tbsp cornstarch

    Directions
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate (or muffin tins).

    2. Cut off and discard bottom 2 inches of Swiss chard stems. Separate stems from leaves; thinly slice stems and coarsely chop leaves.

    3. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium-high until hot. Add sliced stems and cook 4 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add green onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes (to your taste), and cook 1 minute. Gradually add chopped leaves, and cook, stirring, until wilted and water evaporates, about 5 minutes.

    4. In large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix eggs, ricotta, milk, Parmesan, and cornstarch until blended. Stir in Swiss chard mixture.

    5. Transfer mixture to pie plate (or muffin tins). Bake pie 40 minutes or until knife inserted 2 inches from center comes out clean. Bake about 13 minutes if using muffin tins.

    6. Enjoy!