Chirmol

As many of you are fully aware, I have an exploding tomato population.  I went a bit "Little House on the Prairie" thinking I needed to sow all my seeds to get me through the long, hard winter on the farm apparently.  Well, now...  I am reaping what I have sown.   PUN. FULLY. INTENDED.

It's mass chaos back there.  I think the tomatoes get together in some sort of secret society at night while I'm sleeping, plotting to overthrow me.  One day I may wake up to them all crouched down waiting to pounce (think: Lord of the Flies).  OK, clearly I've gone off on a tangent...

Last week I made a joke about "101 things to do with tomatoes", listing all of the recipes that were likely to show up here because they are bountiful and I can barely keep up.  And while it is inevitable that more tomato recipes will appear, I would have to say in all honesty that the best thing to do with a tomato is eat it right from the plant, still warm from the sun.  Nothing beats it.

A friend of mine suggested I share a salsa recipe.  He said he's always looking for new ones to try and then another friend of mine said she needed one too, so here we are. 

There are no shortage of salsa recipes out there, that is for sure, but maybe you've never had one like this before. 

If you've ever spent time in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador, chances are you've had chirmol.  If you have friends or family from that area or if you've ever eaten at a restaurant representing one of those countries, it is almost a certainty.
It is the go-to condiment served with grilled meat and makes an appearance at every barbecue. 

The sharpness of the lime, the bite of the onions, the acidity in the tomatoes all work together perfectly to cut through the richness of the grilled meat.  I'm salivating just thinking about it...
It is a delicious combination.  Don't just take my word for it, get in the kitchen!

Chirmol is basically a pico de gallo or salsa.  It is scrumptious mixed in with rice and/or beans or scooped up with a tortilla chip. I even throw some in with my eggs in the morning.  If you like salsa, you'll love this.

Salsas are one of the quickest and easiest things to throw together.  In less than 10 minutes, it's done.  Start to finish.  It does not require incredible knife skills, so whether you have been cooking forever or are just beginning, everyone can manage this.  


Chirmol
8 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
salt & pepper

Coat tomatoes with about a teaspoon of oil, just enough to slick their skin. Grill until skin is lightly charred, set aside in a bowl to cool slightly before peeling.  Sometimes mine burst open before they get charred enough.  If this happens, don't sweat it!  You can either let them hang out for another minute or just pull them off the grill.

If the tomatoes are the only thing you need grilled & you don't want to go through the trouble, you can do them in a pan on the stove or in the oven. 
If you don't feel like cooking them at all, that's fine too. 
We're not trying to split the atom, it's just a tomato...

Once the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, slip the skins off and chop them up.  If you like a smooth salsa, puree them in the blender.

Let the diced onions hang out in the lime juice for about 10 minutes, this helps to mellow them out.  Then add the rest of your ingredients and mix to combine.  Season with salt & pepper.

This is the basic, traditional recipe for chirmol.  If you are in the mood for a more gussied up version, feel free to experiment and add in roasted or fresh corn, diced bell pepper, diced mango, peach or pineapple.
You can also switch up the chilies; add chipotles in adobo to make it even smokier or if you REALLY like heat, add in a habanero, or Scotch bonnet. 

My Tomatoes Runneth Over...

If you are a tomato person, you will want to check back here from time to time and here's why:  I have an exploding tomato population.  As someone said to me a few days ago, this is not a bad problem to have! 
So let me just tell you now that for the next few months, there will likely be a number of recipes here using tomatoes...  Salsas, tomato tarts, tomato jam, tomato soup, etc.

Sometimes I am hesitant to put recipes here that I think will be too simple or maybe you just won't find that interesting.  Recently, there was a discussion amongst a few of my foodie friends regarding the subject of "overdoing" food. 
Example: a cookie inside of a brownie inside of a cupcake inside of a pie, then deep fried and topped with caramel and chocolate sauces, whipped cream and sprinkles.
Obviously this is a gross exaggeration, but you catch my drift.

My point is, sometimes food doesn't need fussing with.   When you are working with gorgeous produce (or any other food for that matter), it's ok to let it stand on it's own.  If something is at it's absolute best, let that be the focal point.
When things are doused in sauce or coated with too much crap, I often wonder what the cook is trying to disguise.  Sometimes it's nothing, but there are times when the product needs a little help or it's about to turn, and that's fine too if it prevents food from going to waste.
We've all been a bit overzealous in our purchases from time to time and there have been occasions when we just can't get to everything before it goes bad. 
This is the salad to make when everything you have is at it's peak.

This salad is the perfect light and refreshing side to grilled fish or chicken.  It is a healthy swap for  potato chips when you need something with a little crunch and texture alongside your sandwich.

If possible, use a variety of tomatoes as they each have slightly different flavors and textures. 
The mix of colors will also make it more visually appealing.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

1 English cucumber, quartered & sliced
2 large tomatoes, diced or 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or whole
1 cup marinated quartered artichoke hearts
1/2 cup pitted mixed olives
1/4  lemon, sliced paper thin
1 tsp lemon thyme (or regular thyme), chopped
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh chives, chopped
3 - 4 tbsp Olive oil
1- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
pinch pepper

-Place all ingredients in medium bowl and mix to combine.  I usually let it sit for 10 minutes or so, that's about the extent of my patience.   Dig in!

Grilled Vegetables and Red Pepper Dip

While the Internet is abuzz with pastel this & candy that, little cupcakes decorated with bunnies and gloriously shellacked hams with deep brown glazes, I am grilling vegetables.
I know, it seems I've missed the boat again... but, you see when you live far from family sometimes holiday dinners are less formal and more like "what do I feel like eating?"

The other side of this is that not everyone eats or enjoys a big hunk of ham (I know, I don't quite get it either), but to each their own and who's to say that you can't have grilled veggies alongside that burnished spiral sliced beast? 
It's all about balance anyway, isn't it?   If you have a bit of something that you reserve only for holidays, all the more reason to serve healthy options to offset the indulgence.

I recently overbought (again) at the market and ended up with enough vegetables to feed half the neighborhood.   Luckily, I had a few friends that happened to drop by!  I sent them home with containers of veggies and dip and shortly thereafter received a most delightful text proclaiming how much they loved it. 

So, I can tell you with all certainty that it has been "tested" and "approved".   You will most likely have leftover red pepper dip.  It is delicious on pasta, chicken, tossed with shrimp, pita chips... you get the picture.

Serve a wide variety of vegetables in a rainbow of colors.  I used orange and yellow bell peppers, small eggplant, asparagus, fennel, red onion, portobello mushrooms, green onions, zucchini, baby yellow squash and lemons

remove gills from underside of portobellos before grilling

 

Before you get started, the most important thing is to have your "mise en place" ready to go.   Before you light the grill: clean all of the vegetables, have them sliced and seasoned.   I use a spray bottle to lightly mist the vegetables with oil, that way they don't get too greasy and it's easier to control the amount of oil that goes on them.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and any other seasoning you like after they have been slicked with a little oil.
Lay everything out on sheet pans, or whatever you have to transport them from the kitchen to the grill and back.  Find the tongs, make sure the grill is clean (I say this because yours truly has done this on several occasions) and lastly enjoy the holiday!

Red Pepper Dip
1 1/2 lbs (drained weight) roasted red peppers, about 5 whole (jarred or homemade)
1/2 cup packed parsley, rough chop
1/4 cup packed basil, rough chop
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 - 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Put everything in the blender and let it rip until it looks like this.  How's THAT for easy directions?!

Make yourself a big plate!

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Lentil Soup

I know what you're thinking.  Another soup recipe?  Seriously?!   In my defense, I didn't mean to... Honestly.   This bag of lentils was meant for a "higher purpose" other than another batch of soup.  I had seen a recipe in one of the numerous food magazines that arrives at this address using lentils.  It looked so good.  It was all gloss and glamour, the kind of photo that belongs tucked inside of a black plastic wrapper.  You know the kind of photo I'm talking about.  It made lentils look sexy and that my friends is no easy task.

Well, that was my intention.  And then a cold front came through.  Goodbye sexy lentils and hello lentil soup.  So you see, it really isn't my fault at all that I'm posting yet another soup recipe.  Blame Mother Nature, she can take it.

The best part of this endeavor: the soup was so good, it was inhaled before I had a chance to take a decent shot for this post.  Slight oversight, my apologies. 
The actual best part of this is that you probably have a good portion of the ingredients already and thus a trip to the store may not even be necessary (hooray!!!). 
I, on the other hand, am still in pursuit of sexy lentils so off to the store I go.  Call me if you need anything.



Lentil Soup

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed (do not soak)
2 stalks celery, small dice
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut in small dice
1 medium-large yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 can diced tomato, with juice
5 oz baby spinach or baby kale
2 quarts vegetable (or chicken) stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium-large stock pot, heat oil until barely shimmering.  Add onion, celery and carrots.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until starting to soften, 5 - 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add tomatoes and their juice, cook 2 - 3 minutes then add stock, bay leaves, thyme and lentils.  Season again with salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust if necessary, adding more salt and/or pepper if needed.   Stir to combine, cover and simmer until lentils are beginning to soften, about 15 minutes.

Add baby spinach (or kale) and stir in to wilt.  Simmer an additional 10 - 15 minutes until vegetables and lentils are soft.

picture does NOT do soup justice...

 

 



A Big Bowl of Sunshine

Don't you just love it when you throw a bunch of stuff together in a big pot and it turns out to be one of the most delicious things you've had in a long while?

That is exactly what happened with this soup.  I needed to make supper and wasn't really up for a trip to the store.  I rummaged around in the cabinets and fridge to see what I could assemble and that is how this came together.   I had a few bits of this, a piece of that, a couple of these, etc.

When I set everything out on the counter, it seemed like a good idea in theory, but we all know how sometimes these things tend to turn out... you know, good intentions & all. 

Luckily, this once actually turned out to be pretty awesome. Out of a bit of laziness frugality a great soup was born! This soup was devoured like it was going to be my last meal on Earth.  It is hearty and warming, exactly the kind of thing you want in front of you on a cold day.  Grab a loaf of crusty bread, tear off a chunk and tuck in.


Bowl of Sunshine Soup

1 lg sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 rutabaga, peeled & diced
1 lg sweet potato, peeled & diced
4 medium carrots, peeled & thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 cup Israeli cous cous
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp turmeric
purple basil for garnish
3 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large pot, sweat onion in olive oil over medium low heat.  Let it cook out slowly for about 15 - 20 minutes until it just begins to turn light golden brown.  Add garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add carrot and sweet potato, cook for a few minutes then add stock and turmeric.  When carrots have started to soften slightly, add rutabaga.   Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, then add chickpeas and cous cous.

Cook for an additional 6 - 8 minutes or until cous cous is soft and chewy.   Sprinkle with fresh herbs for garnish.

(Old Mother) Hubbard Squash

The past two weeks have been a weather nightmare here and we are all in need of a little comfort.  For me, that usually comes in the form of something warm from the oven.   This particular time, the oven also served as  heat for my apartment.  I had purchased a perfect little Hubbard squash and since I had lost my heat it seemed an opportune time to do something with it.

If you have never had Hubbard squash before, you are in for a treat. The flesh is slightly drier than acorn or butternut and it is a bit earthier in flavor. The bluish-gray color and deep orange flesh is beautiful and makes for a striking contrast.

Any kind of roasted squash is, for me, the perfect fall food and if you are the type that likes to change up for your holiday menu this would be a great addition to the meal.  As I have professed before on this very blog, I am NOT the type to change my menu, but adding to it is absolutely permissible. 

So while we are all getting back on track here in NYC and for my friends just getting back into their homes,  we should offer a bit of comfort to those who need it.  Whether it be as simple as a hug, a warm bed or a hot meal and perhaps it may come in the form of a little Hubbard squash.

Stuffed Hubbard Squash

• 1 Hubbard Squash, halved and cleaned
• 1 cup wild & long grain rice blend
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 onion, small dice
• 2 handfuls baby kale
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut off a small piece from the outside of the squash so you will have a flat surface to prevent it from rolling over once you stuff it with the filling.   Lightly oil inside of squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place squash on lightly oiled sheet pan, cut side down (inside), and roast in oven for 30 - 40 minutes.
While squash is in oven, make the filling...

Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent.  Add kale and saute for 2 minutes then add rice and stir to coat.  Let rice toast for a few minutes, add golden raisins, give it a quick stir and add chicken stock, salt & pepper, stir again and cover.

Let the filling simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked then remove from heat.
Remove squash from oven and carefully turn over. Turn oven down to 325 degrees. Fill each half, dot each with a little butter and put back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Share the other half with a friend.


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Salty, Crunchy... Healthy?!

As we are all abundantly aware, the Northeast suffered a major storm this week.  I am one of the lucky ones that was relatively unaffected in comparison to so many others.   While things are still getting settled, I humbly offer a quick snack today.

It's what I had on hand and  about making the most of what I have until the pantry is fully stocked again.  These chips are incredibly fast, require minimal effort and you don't have to feel the least bit guilty if you finish the entire plate by yourself.

 

Kale Chips

• 5 oz baby kale
• 2 tbsp oil  (I used lemon-infused olive oil)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Toss baby kale with oil and salt.  Lay on parchment lined baking sheet and spread out evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy, giving it a good shake halfway through. 

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