Monday~Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad


Gourmet
July 1994

Quinoa, though technically a seed in the herb category, has traditionally been considered a valuable member of the grain family. A sacred source of strength for the ancient Incas, it is enjoying as a new popularity here in the United States. The secret of the success of this salad is the steaming of the quinoa. (The traditonal cooking method for quinoa, boiling it in a measured amount of water, does not produce the light, fluffy texture that works so well in a salad.) This dish provides a complete protein and can stand alone as a luncheon or light supper entrée.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as an entrée or 8 as a side dish



1 1/2 cups quinoa (small disk-shaped seeds)*

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed if canned

1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups cooked corn (cut from about 2 large ears)

3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander



For dressing

5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste

1/3 cup olive oil



*available at specialty foods shops and natural foods stores



In a bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve.

In a saucepan of salted boiling water cook quinoa 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve and rinse under cold water. Set sieve over a saucepan of boiling water (quinoa should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, about 10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).

While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, and coriander and toss well.



Make dressing:

In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Wednesday~Summer Ratatouille

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille


Servings: 8
"Lots and lots of vegetables and lots of cutting and cubing, but well worth the effort. This fresh vegetable medley makes a batch, but it freezes well. Everything is sauteed in batches and then mixed together and chilled or served warm."

Ingredients:
2 onion, sliced into thin rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, cubed
2 zucchini, cubed
2 medium yellow squash, cubed
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced 1 chopped red bell pepper
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste



Directions:

1. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic.

3. Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

6. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.

Marinated Salmon with Mango-Kiwi Relish


Serve over mixed greens, steamed couscous, or on toasted sourdough bread for a fish sandwich.
Cooking Light MARCH 2004
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 salmon fillet and 1/4 cup relish)

Ingredients

Salmon:

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)

Cooking spray

Relish:

1/2 cup diced peeled mango

1/2 cup cubed peeled kiwifruit

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

Preparation

To prepare salmon, combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Marinate 10 minutes, turning occasionally.



While fish marinates, heat grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from bag, discarding marinade. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While fish cooks, prepare the relish. Combine mango and the remaining ingredients. Serve over fish.


http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/five-star-salmon-dishes-00400000041670/



Toasted Farro with Zucchini and Tahini

Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes



Ingredients

1 cup farro (pearl barley)

1 1/2 cups filtered water

2 cups zucchini, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

salt and pepper



tahini sauce:

2 tablespoons sesame tahini

1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper



Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.



Place the zucchini in a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing to combine. Roast uncovered in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove and set aside.



Meanwhile, place the farro in a dry saute pan and toast it over medium high heat until aromatic. Set aside to cool. Boil the filtered water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in the farro, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. If the liquid is gone and the farro still uncooked, add a little more water and cook a little longer. Barley should have a chewy texture with a slight crunch. Set aside.



To make the tahini sauce, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, and cumin in a bowl. Add water as needed to thin to a nice consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



To assemble the dish, place the farro, roasted zucchini, tomatoes, and shallots in a large mixing bowl. Top with the tahini sauce and toss to combine. Check seasoning (salt and pepper). Finish with the chopped mint. Enjoy!

Saturday~Pennsylvania Dutch Pork Maws

Ingredients


1 large pig's stomach, well cleaned of all fat

1 pound fresh link sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 pound smoked linked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices

6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste (go easy on salt depending on sausage)

3 tablespoons flour, mixed with 3 tablespoons cool water until smooth to make a slurry (to thicken the gravy)

Similar and Related Recipes



Stuffed Pig's Stomach, Italian-Style?



Stuffed Cabbage Rolls



Schnitz und Knepp (Ham and Apples with Dumplings)



Cabbage, Smoked Sausage and Potato Stew



Additional Pork, Ham and Sausage Recipes



Additional Pennsylvania Dutch Recipes



Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix together sausages, potatoes and onions. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Sew the small opened end of the stomach with cooking twine to close. Stuff sausage mixture into stomach, pressing well with each addition. The stomach has a lot of elasticity and will stretch to almost any size necessary. When all stuffing has been placed inside, close open end with twine.



Place stuffed stomach in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until potatoes are tender (check by inserting a thin sharp knife into middle of stomach), about 2 hours, basting about every 20 minutes with water or pan juices.



Remove stomach from roasting pan. Drain off most of the fat. Make the flour paste in a small bowl. Place the roasting pan on a burner on top of stove. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, scraping up all of the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Gradually add flour paste, whisking rapidly and constantly, until the gravy thickens. To serve, slice stomach into 1 inch thick slices. Pass gravy separately.

http://teriskitchen.com/padutch/pigstom.html