Grilled Lamb Sirloin Tacos with Corn, Pickled Cherry Peppers & Chipotle Crema

GRILLED LAMB SIRLOIN TACOS WITH CORN, PICKLED CHERRY PEPPERS & CHIPOTLE CREMA

Last weekend, a friend of mine, Molly Tavoletti, stopped by (who you may know from her drool-worthy Instagram!). In any case, we got to talking, drinking wine, and I whipped up a few of these lamb sirloin tacos for us to munch on during girl (and career and wine and life...) talk on that beautiful, sunny Brooklyn afternoon.

I know there aren't a ton of lamb sirloin recipes out there, but it really has become for me my new duck breast. It's meaty and rich with a gorgeous fat cap that crisps. On the grill, the smokiness adds such depth of flavor and, of course, that signature char.

When you bite into a taco, you want flavor AND texture. This one has grilled corn for sweetness, a bit of shredded red cabbage for crunch, homemade pickled cherry peppers for acidity and heat, and a lovely chipotle crema for tang, smokiness and silkiness.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

For the tacos:

Wood chips wrapped in foil (optional; I like to use applewood)

Canola Oil

2 ears corn

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 (8 oz) lamb sirloins

8 corn tortillas

½ cup shredded red cabbage

¼ cup pickled cherry peppers

¼ cup cilantro, leaves only

For the sauce (yields a bit more than a cup):

8 oz Mexican crema or crème fraiche

2 to 3 chipotles in adobo (canned)

1 garlic clove

Kosher salt to taste

Procedure

Preheat the grill to medium-high (400-450° F). Place the foil-wrapped wood chips on the grill, if using, making sure you’ve cut holes for the smoke to escape. Oil the grill well.

For the corn: I prefer roasting them in their husks in a 400° F oven for 25 to 30 minutes prior to grilling. This keeps them really tender and moist, and the husks and silk just slip right off. Then, I brush them with oil and season with salt and pepper before finishing them on the grill for 5 minutes, just to char the outside. You can also grill them from start to finish – after removing their husks and silk, 15 to 20 minutes in a closed grill, turning every 5 minutes or so. Cut corn from the cobs.

For the lamb: Coat with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place fat cap-side down on the grill and grill for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the piece, turning once midway through cooking. The internal temp should be around 130° F, but basically it should feel like the fleshy part of your palm for medium-rare. Cook longer if you prefer medium to well done lamb. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes under a foil tent. Slice thinly against the grain for the tacos.

Brush the corn tortillas lightly with oil and grill for 2 to 3 minutes flipping a few times just to warm through.

For the sauce: While the lamb is resting, to a food processor, add the crema or crème fraiche along with the chipotles in adobo and garlic. Process until smooth and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To assemble the tacos: Spread a bit of the crema in the middle of the tortilla. Pile on a slice or two lamb. Top with a spoonful or two of the grilled corn, shredded cabbage, a few pickled cherry peppers, and a few cilantro leaves.

7 Ways to Preserve the Season

7 WAYS TO PRESERVE THE SEASON

This past weekend, shopping at my local farmers' market, I noticed that the fall squashes have now arrived. As much as I love the cooler weather, I will really miss the abundance of local fresh berries and summer fruit and vegetables. Funny enough, you can still find a lot of gorgeous peaches, tomatoes, and other summer fruit still lingering. This transition has got me thinking about different ways of preserving, something that's in every culture around the world and has existed for centuries. It's not only a way to enjoy those flavors later in the next season but is also a fantastic way to reduce waste (and save some $ to boot)....

PICKLING

Pickling is always a great way to preserve vegetables (and even some fruits)! I have messed around with pickles from so many different cuisines - from traditional Indian pickles in mustard oil to Italian giardiniera to a quick, spicy Haitian pickled cabbage, called pikliz that I love! I always have a few pickles in my fridge to dress up everything from Sunday eggs to a nice seared piece of fish. If you've been on my Instagram, you are probably over it with my pickled cherry pepper obsession....

CHUTNEYS

Chutneys are another savory way of preserving fruits and vegetables. They have both sweet and sour flavors and are great for those holiday cheese platters, to enjoy with a winter roast or as a condiment to take that sandwich to the next level. Personally, with it still being grill weather, this smoked peach chutney is absolutely to die for on pork chops, with some fromage d'affinois, or on your morning toast.

BLANCH AND FREEZE

What if you want to keep it simple? Easy, just blanch and freeze your vegetables in resealable bags. Think vegetables in the freezer section of the grocery store, only yours are directly from the source! These will make for a much tastier version of stir fry in the dead of winter, I promise you.

Just have a pot of salted, boiling water (should taste like the sea), an ice bath (ice with cold water) and lots of resealable bags ready and you are set. Drop in the boiling water until the veggies are still crisp but that raw taste is gone. Then submerge in ice bath to stop the cooking and keep the vibrant color. Don't hold in the ice bath too long or all the vitamins and minerals (the healthy stuff) will seep out. You just want the veggies to be cold. Drain, dry off, portion in to bags and place in the freezer. Super simple!

HERB SALTS

If you’re like me and you love having fresh herbs around the house, you are probably wondering how to use up those plants before they start to wilt (and die). There is, of course, the go to method of freezing herbs in ice cube trays (either in broth, butter, water or oil), but another fun way to preserve them is to turn the herbs into salts.

You take a bunch of basil, rosemary or any single or combination of herbs you want and process in a food processor with some kosher salt. Then, transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and dry out the mixture in a low temp oven around 225°F for an hour or two until crumbly. Then back in the food processor to make more fine (only, if you want) and voila! Instant herb salts for your pantry!

Of course, these are delicious on different meats or a roast chicken. But pack some in a little bottle, and you have the perfect hostess gift! Remember to store the salt in an airtight container, and it will keep for about 3 months.

JAMS

Now, for my favorite fruits which have a growing season of only a month or two, at best: fresh berries and stone fruit! It's the best day of the year when you finally see rows and rows of these at the market, and the saddest day when you realize their season is over...Luckily this year seemed to last longer than last, and my pantry has a ton of jam to show for it. At first it was just a couple jars for me, and then I started thinking holiday gifts!!

People sometimes get intimidated by jam making - have the right ratio of sugar and pectin to set it and give that traditional, jammy texture. But it can be as simple as fruit, lemon juice and sugar like in this Strawberry Preserve recipe from Blackberry Farm. and, don't forget! Jam can also be savory. I created this Chili Jam recipe when I worked for a restaurant, and it went on everything from our lamb burgers to a cheese toast!

Note: If you frequent your farmers market, ask them if they have any bruised or over ripened fruit. This is perfect for jam and also will most likely be discounted!

PRESERVE IN ALCOHOL

Running out of jam ideas? Alcohol is also an incredible preservative.

I preserved my cherries from July in brandy using a simple ratio: for 1 pint jar filled with cherries, fill 2/3rds with sugar and then pour brandy to 1/4 “ from the rim. Shake the jar a bit to dissolve the sugar and store in a cool dark place until you're ready to use. Add a stick of cinnamon or a used vanilla bean for a bit of extra flavor.

These brandied cherries are perfect ladles over a (big!) bowl of vanilla ice cream or poured over a holiday bundt cake. You can also infuse flavors in the alcohol by simmering with vanilla or cinnamon.

Not an alcohol drinker? Simply try this recipe from Bon Appetit which preserves the cherries in syrup.

SHRUBS

Shrubs are another, lesser known way of preserving summer fruits, though you can do this with many, other fruits throughout the year too. It's basically a fruit-forward drinking vinegar, that are excellent with some club sode but also make a great cocktail base, year-round. I made one recently with strawberries, peaches and basil.

Enjoy!

Strawberry-Peach Basil Drinking Vinegar (Shrub)

STRAWBERRY-PEACH BASIL DRINKING VINEGAR

The summer has been ridiculously hot! and, for me, the perfect thirst quencher has a few things: (1) it has to be cold (obvi...). (2) it needs acid - think lemonade! some sort of tart bite to it. (3) and a hint of sweetness (4) sometimes, bubbles help!

In a lot of different cultures, instead of citrus fruits, vinegar is used to add that touch of sour. Whether it's Irani sekanjabin, a simple syrup infused with vinegar and mint, Greek posca made with vinegar, water and herbs, Asian drinking vinegars or simply the various cultural adages that drinking vinegar has health benefits, it's sort of been around for a long time, and, if you live in Brooklyn like me, some variation may just be in your corner bodega....

Shrub is the name given to the American colonial era version of the drink, and the modern versions of this drink often have fruits. Mine has strawberries and peaches, and, not just any strawberries and peaches - the most bruised and battered ones! Yes, this is an amazing way to utilize the fruits that are still good but may not make it to your fruit plate or win any beauty contests. Typically, you sort of mix everything together (i.e. cold brew it) and let the flavor develop over a week or two. For the impatient ones among us, myself included, I cook the fruit down with raw honey (in lieu of sugar) and herbs (here, a gorge, purple basil that has been growing like a weed in my garden). I finish it off with some raw apple cider vinegar, and once cooled and strained, it's ready to go!

There are a million different combinations you can make with this recipe - different fruits, different herbs, and even different vinegars. I take a few tablespoons of this over ice and top it off with some club soda (and sometimes vodka...) for the ultimate refreshing summer drink!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields approximately 2 1/2 cups

1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 cup peaches, pitted and diced

8-9 leaves basil (purple or green)

1/2 - 2/3 cup raw honey (adjust to your sweetness preference)

1 cup raw apple cider vinegar

Procedure

In a medium pot, bring strawberries, peaches, basil, honey, and 1 cup of water up to a boil. Lower to a simmer and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes until the fruit breaks down. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Strain, pressing all of the juice out of the fruits as you do, and refrigerate. It should keep for about a month (or even longer, though I never have any after that point!).

I take about 4 tablespoons of the shrub over ice and top with a 1/2 cup of club soda or even fresh coconut water for a great drink.

Peak Season Corn: Buying/Cooking Tips + 6-Ingredient Salad

PEAK SEASON CORN: BUYING / COOKING TIPS + 6-INGREDIENT SALAD AND OTHER RECIPES

Corn is summer, and at no other point in the year is it as sweet and tasty as it is now. This is all my family is eating right now and in so many different ways. I wanted to give you guys a few tips on how to maximize your corn experience - from choosing the right cobs, cooking and shucking them, to a simple "how-to" corn salad and other recipes.

BUYING TIPS: Buying the right corn can make all the difference because corn gets starchy and loses sweetness after it's picked. Obviously, you want freshly-picked corn with bright, plump kernels, but you don't have to peel back the husks and peek to check them.

Look for bright green cobs where the husk is tight over the corn.
The silks at the end should be brown and slightly tacky and damp - if they are black and/or dried, the corn is a bit older.
Feel for the kernels through the husk to make sure they are plump.
Finally, check the top for wormholes and avoid any where it looks like they may have gotten through.

COOKING AND SHUCKING: I put these two together because I'm sharing with you my favorite way of cooking corn. Some prefer boiling which requires shucking the cobs first and getting rid of all of that pesky silk before cooking. Go for it if that's what you like (or if you want to give the kids something to do)!

I personally prefer a quick roast in the husks. 25 minutes at 400˚F in the oven (right on the rack) or on the grill set up for indirect heat makes sure you have super moist, flavorful kernels. The plus side? Once they are cool enough to handle, all of the silk slides right off with the husks. No mess! I then eat them straight from the cob, cut them off for a salad (see below) or toss them back on the hot side of the grill for a little char right before serving!

6-INGREDIENT CORN SALAD "HOW-TO": Corn salad shouldn't be something that requires exact measurements. Here is what generally goes into my corn salads.

Corn - cooked and off the cob (see roasting in the husks above). For a modest side, I figure 1 cob per person.
Peppers - hot, sweet, roasted, pickled. Add enough to add color.
Another surprise ingredient - Go seasonal with grape tomatoes, radishes, zucchini or arugula. Think starchy with potatoes, lima/cannelini beans or even couscous or bulghur. Again, enough to add color and mix to the salad.
Onion - shallots, red onion, scallion, Vidalia - raw, charred, caramelized, roasted. Just enough for flavor. You can overdo here, but not really under-do.
Herbs - basil, chives, cilantro, parsley, mint, tarragon. Choose one or use a few to layer flavor. You can't really go wrong.
Acid - cider vinegar, lime or lemon juice, sherry vinegar, pickled pepper juice. A few splashes.

That's it! Mix them together in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add whatever is missing from above. Let the flavors marry for a few minutes before serving - it will taste even better the next day!

Looking for other recipes? Check out a few other ones I love.....

CORN WITH GREEN CHILI BUTTER & TOASTED COCONUT

SMOKY, SPICY CORN PUDDING

SOPA DE FLOR DE CALABAZA (SQUASH BLOSSOM SOUP)

Enjoy!!

Berry Picking + Blueberry, Raw Honey & Coconut Fool

BERRY PICKING + BLUEBERRY, RAW HONEY & COCONUT FOOL

This past weekend, I drove out to Ochs Orchard an hour and a half outside NYC to pick some berries and, really, to take my little girl berry picking for the first time. This is a gorgeous pick-your-own farm that had blueberries, raspberries and cherries that day (call for availability before going always!), and we had an incredible time. What's super cute about this farm is that they have a donkey and goat that you can pet and feed and also a farm store with serious ice cream (and heavenly raw honey). It's definitely worth the drive out and made for an exhausting day for my little one!

Coming home with a glut of berries means I've been messing around with recipes and preserving this week. What I love is that they are so sweet, whatever I've made I use minimal sugar. I wanted to make a non-dairy frozen dessert, so I decided to go the coconut route. Did you realize you can whip coconut cream, the semi-solid, thick layer in coconut milk? I did not! and so I set off whipping coconut cream, cooking down the blueberries to concentrate the juices and folding them in with a bit of honey. The result was a delicious blueberry, raw honey and coconut fool (a fool is an English dessert which usually has fruit folded into whipped cream or other custard).

I really loved it in it's chilled, custard-like state; all of the flavors really stood out that way - the creaminess of the coconut, the slightly tart and sweet, syrupy blueberries and the floral, raw honey. I cooked the blueberries down with a bit of sherry vinegar and honey, and it really brought out all that signature blueberry flavor. BUT I still wanted to see what happened if I froze it...and so I did. It made for a delicious semifreddo though the blueberries and low sugar content made it a bit more icy than I prefer. Verdict on the semifreddo: flavor on point, texture not the best. So the recipe I'm sharing is for the fool. Feel free to enjoy it however you want!

Ingredients

Yields 1 9” x 5” loaf pan

Blueberry mixture:

2 ¾ cups blueberries

2 tablespoons raw honey, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons water

a pinch of salt

Fool base:

4 cans coconut milk, chilled in the fridge overnight

2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Procedure

A few things to do ahead of time: (1) make sure to chill the coconut milk overnight in the fridge to solidify the coconut cream; and (2) chill the whipping bowl and whisk or whisk attachment in the fridge for a half hour or so before using (will help it whip up).

Heat blueberries with honey and vinegar over medium heat. Simmer covered for 5 minutes until the blueberries break down and then simmer uncovered another 4 to 5 minutes until the juice thickens. Cool completely (and it will continue to thicken as it cools).

Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and take out the top, solid layer of coconut cream only, leaving behind the water. Whip the coconut cream in the chilled bowl with confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and cinnamon for 3 to 4 minutes using either a stand/hand mixer or straight arm strength.

Layer half of the coconut mixture in the loaf pan. Drizzle all over with raw honey and half of the blueberry mixture. Top with the remaining whipped coconut cream and repeat. Take a butter knife and make swirls to incorporate the layers. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.

You can also freeze it if you want to go the semifreddo route!

Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Charred Jalapeño Sauce

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH CHARRED JALAPEÑO SAUCE

Once it gets hot out, grilling becomes my go-to for weeknight dinners (and weekend entertaining!). It's simple, healthy and you can grill just about anything. I know because I do throw on everything - from your standard barbecue fare to split romaine hearts to potatoes. A good, grilled chicken is second-to-none, crispy, seasoned skin with tender, smoky meat underneath - and the butterflying technique means you get both of your wishes: evenly cooked meat plus super crackly skin. Plus, it's easy, and there's no marination or brining necessary to have delicious grilled chicken.

This sauce (like many other recipes!) came out of a need to use up what I had. I went to the market, and I didn't find any poblanos, which were my first choice. But they shouldn't have been! The jalapeños are perfect here, and the sauce has a spicy, acidic kick and a creamy (with no cream..) texture. It's perfect with this chicken, but I could also see this with a pork chop, a lamb sirloin or even a whole grilled fish. Happy grilling!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4

For the chicken:

Handful of wood chips wrapped in foil ( optional; I like to use applewood)

1 whole chicken, 3 ½ to 4 lbs

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoons ground black pepper

Canola oil

Kosher salt

For the sauce (yields approx. 2/3 cup):

8 jalapenos, whole

3-4 pickled cherry peppers along with 4-5 tablespoons of the pickling liquid

1 garlic clove

1 ½ teaspoons honey

Small handful of cilantro (stems + leaves)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Canola oil

Procedure

Set up your grill for indirect grilling, either piling charcoal on one side or turning only half the burners on. I like the inside of my grill to linger around 400-450˚ F. We're going to cook the chicken on the side without direct heat for the majority of the time and then finish it over the high heat to crisp the skin and get that char. This is a good time to throw on the wood chips as well which will give a great smoky flavor to the chicken, but it's totally optional.

For the chicken: Butterflying a chicken isn't as complicated as it sounds. Start with the chicken breast-side down and have some kitchen shears by your side. Starting at the bottom of the bird, cut along each side of the backbone straight through the ribs to the neck opening. Set aside the backbone and giblets and reserve for making stock. Take each side of the flaps in front of you and open the chicken up flat. Flip onto the other side and press down on the breastbone to flatten (you'll hear a crack at some point!). Done.

Mix together the garlic powder, sweet paprika, onion powder, oregano, and black pepper. Coat the chicken lightly in oil and sprinkle the dry rub all over. Your hands are already messy, so just go ahead and rub it in good. Then, season generously with salt all over.

Make sure to oil your grill as well, and place the chicken breast up on the side without the charcoal or the burners. I like to face the legs towards the heat source and the neck side away since the legs typically take a bit longer. Cover your grill and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. I like to check for doneness with a cake tester or (very) small knife inserted at the thigh joint - if inserted to the bone and pulled out it's hot, the meat is done. You can conversely make sure it's cooked to about 150-155˚ F. For the last 3 to 5 minutes, I flip the bird over, skin and breast side down, over the direct heat side of the grill. This makes sure you get that thin, crispy skin.

Allow the bird to rest for about 5 to 7 minutes before carving.

For the sauce: While the bird is cooking, throw the jalapeños right over the direct heat side and char on all side. The skin should turn black and blistered. Transfer to a plastic bag while it cools. When cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub off the charred skin. Then, with a knife, remove the stem, ribs and seeds. Chop roughly.

Transfer the jalapeños to a blender and add the pickled cherry peppers, pickling liquid, garlic, honey and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Run the blender and then stream in the oil as needed to create the sauce. I like to just get the blade moving and make sure the sauce is uniform and not too thick. It should look creamy and coat a spoon. Remember to taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serve the chicken hot with the sauce on the side.

Blueberry-Hibiscus Smash

BLUEBERRY-HIBISCUS SMASH

It feels like the long wait is over and the warmth has finally arrived! I've been doing fam brunches for the past couple weeks - inviting friends to come by when they can on a Sunday, cooking up a storm, and letting the day linger as we all eat and chat and have a few cocktails. One of my favorite things to do is make a huge pitcher of (unsweetened) hibiscus tea ahead of time; it's the perfect mixer. I love combining it with freshly squeezed juice from the market or from whatever I have on hand for an arnold palmer of sorts. With a great, infused simple syrup (ginger, mint, rose, clove), I have endless variations for both mocktails and cocktails.

For this cocktail, I keep it super simple - muddling together mint, fresh blueberries, and lemon. Honey sweetens it up a bit, and, of course, the hibiscus tea adds tartness. The smash was created as a simpler version of the mint julep - it only requires a bit of muddling rather than making a mint simple syrup or extract. It was originally made with whiskey, but there are tons of versions with vodka, rum and gin. For this one I flip flop between using rum and vodka (I can't decide which I like better!), so pick your own poison and enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields one cocktail

6 or 7 mint leaves

8 or 9 blueberries, divided

2 lemon slices

2 teaspoons honey

4 ounces unsweetened, hibiscus tea*

2 ounces vodka or rum

Procedure

In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the mint leaves with the 4 or 5 blueberries and the lemon slices to release the juices and oils. Add the honey, hibiscus tea, and spirit and shake well to combine.

Transfer to a rocks glass filled halfway with ice and garnish with the remaining blueberries and a mint sprig.

*For loose hibiscus tea, my ratio is 1 cup dried hibiscus leaves per 10 cups water. I generally let mine sit overnight before straining,

(Coconut) Daal with Super Greens

(COCONUT) DAAL WITH SUPER GREENS

This frigid weather in NYC combined with a lingering cold has me thinking about (and making!) my favorite soups and stews. As soon as the weather turns, I make a batch of soup each week to fill in for lunch or dinner where necessary. It's one pot cooking at its best; soup tastes better as it sits, is a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into a bowl, AND is, quite frankly, the easiest way to use up random vegetables and ingredients you have lying around.

This is a twist on my mom's lentils, daal, which are spiced, nuanced and creamy. Daal was a staple in our household, and when I go home to visit, there is always some in the fridge to remind me of my childhood. In this soup, I make the lentils a bit more dilute and add in any greens I have lying around - kale, baby spinach, chard, a super greens blend - to up the cold-fighting vitamins. I sometimes add in a bit of coconut milk for silkiness, and if I need a bit more bulk, I throw in some cooked rice, bulghur or quinoa.

What I love is that this is a really satisfying soup, but it also couldn't be easier to make. The lentils simply need to boil with a bit of turmeric for 20 to 25 minutes. Sauté the spices, aromatics and greens on the side in one pan, toss in and let simmer another 5 minutes. That's it. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

1 cup split lentils (I prefer a combination of red and yellow), picked through and rinsed thoroughly

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2-3 tablespoons ghee or canola oil

1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 shallot, minced

1 or two small green chilies, seeded and minced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon ginger, minced

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped

1 bunch kale, baby spinach, chard or 2 handfuls of a super greens blend, washed

13.5 ounces fresh homemade, raw or canned light coconut milk (optional)

salt, black pepper, and lemon juice to taste

1 small handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Procedure

In a large pot or dutch oven, add the lentils, turmeric and 4 cups of water. Bring up to a boil, lower to a simmer and simmer partially covered for 25 to 30 minutes until lentils are soft and break apart easily. Add in another 1/2 cup of water if too much has evaporated and the lentils look thick.

Heat a medium-sized pan over medium high heat. Add the ghee or oil and the mustard and cumin seeds. When they start to sputter and pop, lower the heat to medium low and add the shallot, chili, garlic, ginger and ground spices. Cook until the shallots are translucent and the spices smell toasted. Add the tomato and a bit of water so the spices don't burn. When the tomato starts to break down, add in the greens and let wilt slightly.

Throw the vegetable mixture into the lentils. If using, add in the coconut milk here as well. Simmer for another 5 minutes for the flavors to combine, and then season generously with salt and pepper. The lentils can take a decent amount of salt for the flavor to really pop, and I like to alternate with squeezes of lemon juice to get the right acid / salt balance. Finish with the chopped cilantro.

Butternut Squash & Apple Bread with Maple and Cardamom

I posted a photo of this on Instagram a few days back, and a number of people came back and asked for this recipe to bake for the holidays. And here it is! It’s a bit lighter than other fruit or vegetable breads (think: cake), and relies much more on butternut squash than apple for flavor. That said, the great thing about this bread is that the squash doesn’t have to be precooked or pureed or anything before being added in. Grating it up in a processor does all the work you need, and the squash cooks in the baking time.

I made this cake for my daughter, who hated squash (until now…hah!). And for that reason, I changed out the flour using an “all purpose” mix of oat, brown rice, and almond flours. Really, it isn’t so much about the gluten, though being gluten free is a benefit for some here. It’s more about the fact that oats and brown rice and almonds have a lot more nutritional value than AP flour. Same goes for the maple sugar, a sugar from the maple tree that has a flavor very close to the syrup. Again, maple sugar has antioxidants and minerals not found in refined sugar. It has a lower glycemic index, and I always use a lot less of it in recipes.

These are just my choices, but feel free to use all purpose flour here and substitute another sugar if you can’t find maple. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields 1 8½” x 4¼” x 2¾” loaf pan

2 cups raw, peeled, and grated butternut squash

1 cup peeled, cored and grated apple

scant 1 cup maple sugar

1 cup oat flour

½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup almond flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsps baking powder

¼ cup organic, unrefined coconut oil or ½ stick butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375˚ F.

Place grated squash and apple in a bowl along with 3 tablespoons of the maple sugar. Stir to combine and let stand to macerate for 15 minutes.

In another bowl, sift together flours with salt, spices, baking soda and baking powder.

In a stand mixer, cream together remaining sugar and coconut oil or butter. With mixer on medium-low, add vanilla and then the eggs one at a time. Turn mixer down to low, and add in the flour in three increments, stopping to scrape down the sides. Mix until almost combined. Fold in the macerated squash and apple with any liquid that’s accumulated and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before unmolding.

Matcha Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée is one of those fancy desserts that shockingly don’t take a ton of ingredients or time to make. I’m always playing around with the basic goodness , and this green tea version is a new favorite – light, delicately-scented, and simple.

The key ingredient here is matcha, a finely milled green tea powder that you can pick up at specialty, gourmet, and Japanese grocers. I love this stuff and all you really need is a teaspoon or so to transform a basic dessert or cake into something a bit more special. Beyond using it here, it’s delicious in crèpe batter, shortbread cookies, cheesecake and simple vanilla cupcakes….it’s fantastic to add to baked items because you don’t need to adjust your wet-dry ratios at all.

Enjoy!

Ingredients
Yields 4-5 (5-inch) oval ramekins
2 cups heavy creaam
1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
¼ tsp salt
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar plus extra, for brulée
2 tablespoons honey

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

In a saucepan, heat heavy cream, matcha powder, vanilla bean, and salt. Bring mixture up to a boil on medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl or stand mixer, whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and honey until well blended and light yellow in color. It should look very creamy at this point.

Strain cream mixture through a fine sieve and add it in small amounts to the yolks, whisking after each addition. You want to slowly bring up the temperature of the yolks (not scramble). Transfer custard to a measuring cup or something that pours easily.

Place paper towels in one or two different baking dishes (depending on size) and set the ramekins inside. Carefully, pour the custard ¾ of the way up into the ramekins. Then, add boiling water to the baking dishes so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. I bake these in a water bath, and the paper towels help the ramekins from sliding around and also help reduce the risk of splash as you pour the water into the dishes.

Bake at 325° F for 35 minutes. It should still jiggle slightly. Remove from water bath and let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Cover in plastic wrap (don’t let it touch the surface), and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours in order to set the custard.

Coat the top of the custard in each ramekin with a layer of sugar. Turn over to remove excess. Carefully, using a torch, brûlée the sugar, working in circles evenly over the ramekins.

Note: if you use larger or deeper ramekins, the cooking time will inevitably be longer. The key things are the water bath and also that it still jiggles when it comes out. You want smooth, creamy custard, not overcooked and curd-like.

Sopa de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Soup)

First, I want to say thank you to all of you guys that check my site or get my newsletter regularly – even when there is a bit of a lull. You guys are truly what keep me coming back, inspiring me to share my recipes and thoughts on cultural foods. With the weather turning a bit cool here in NYC, I’ve been on a soup-making kick as of late. It just feels right – that warm comfort – and I’ve been experimenting like crazy: lentils with coconut, a kicked up chicken and barley soup, no-cream squash and apple.

This is a recipe straight from Exotic Table – inspired by a traditional Mexican soup. Squash blossoms are the delicate, edible flowers of the zucchini plant and can often be found at the farmers’ market. The traditional, Mexican version of this soup purées the squash blossoms right in, but I think they are more beautiful left whole, to finish the soup. With the corn, potatoes, and squash, this soup is silky and rich without any cream, but a dollop of crème fraiche at the end really brings the flavor together. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into a small dice

1 medium butternut squash, cut into a small dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups chicken stock

A small bunch of thyme

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

tiny pinch saffron (optional)

3 ears of corn, kernels removed and scraped for juice

8-10 large squash blossoms

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Crème fraîche, for garnish

Procedure

In a soup pot, heat the unsalted butter over medium-low. Add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the potatoes, squash and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add in the stock, thyme, bay leaf and saffron and bring up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Now, add in the corn kernels and any juice from the corn and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender.

Remove the thyme bunch and the bay leaf, and purée the soup in a blender, working in batches. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I like the squash blossoms to be slightly raw, so I put 2 of them in each bowl along with a dollop of crème fraiche and pour the hot soup right over. The soup wilts them just enough.

Corn with Green Chili Butter and Toasted Coconut

I mentioned a few weeks back that I would be posting one recipe a month from Exotic Table leading up to the cookbook release, and here is another fun one just in time for Labor Day, barbecuing, and glorious, end-of-summer cookin’: my corn with green chili butter and toasted coconut.

The story behind this one is that I grew up eating this rich corn curry—pieces of corn on the cob simmered in a delicious stew with coconut, green chilies, and cilantro. When summer comes around and corn is in season, I’m not usually in the mood for stews, so I came up with this recipe to satisfy my cravings—buttery, grilled corn with sweetness, heat, and the crunch of toasted coconut.

Think of it like Mexican street corn…but East African-style! This is deliciously simple and will add the perfect spice to your everyday grilled corn. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

6 ears of corn

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon honey

1 serrano chili, finely minced, seeds and ribs removed

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons unsweetened dessicated coconut, toasted

salt, to finish

Preheat the oven to 400°F or preheat the grill. Roast/grill corn in the husks for 25 minutes. Remove the husks and any remaining silk.

In a small bowl, combine butter, salt, honey, serrano chili, and cilantro.

Liberally spread chili butter on corn and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Finish with a bit of salt and serve.

Jamaican Ackee & Saltfish

Recently, a friend of mine from Jamaica who happens to be an incredible cook gave me an impromptu cooking lesson. She showed me how to make Ackee and Saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish, and, although I didn’t write down exact measurements (given the impromptu nature of it all!), I wanted to share the experience with you guys and at least give you the building blocks…

First, let’s talk about ackee – it’s Jamaica’s national fruit, though it’s not really sweet and, in this dish, cooks up like a vegetable. Ackee starts out closed and green (and is actually poisonous in this state), and then it matures to red-orange and splits open to reveal black seeds and white-cream flesh (which is perfectly safe to eat). Obviously, finding the fresh fruit here in the States is pretty tough, but you can sometimes find it canned or frozen.

The second part of the dish is the saltfish, which is dried, salted cod. The cod can be soaked for a few hours to reduce its level of salt or used as is – a quick poach and flaked up, it’s ready for the dish. Ackee and saltfish is really a sauté, and, in our version, we started with some bacon, and then added sliced onions and peppers, a minced, killer Scotch Bonnet pepper, chopped tomato, and sliced scallions. We threw in the flaked saltfish and then carefully folded in the ackee and some fresh thyme.

Ackee can be boiled ahead of time or added into the sauté – it cooks up very quickly. It turns from a white to an egg-yellow when cooked and can crumble easily (so be ginger with it). We fried up some dumplings to go with the creamy, buttery ackee (the tradition), though rice, green bananas, yams or even fried breadfruit also go really well with it.

This is truly a breakfast (or brunch) of champions! Creamy, spicy, and deeply flavorful and beautiful paired with the crispy, fried dumplings. Thank you, May, for the ackee and saltfish tutorial!

Cookies and Milk (not that kind…)

So a bunch of my girlfriends had babies this year, and all of them are nursing in lieu of using formula. As a mom, I know tips and tricks are always really helpful, so I thought I would create this recipe as a gift to all my fellow mommies out there. It’s a cookie loaded with incredibly healthy and natural ingredients like wheat germ and flax that taste amazing (and also happen to help boost supply for nursing moms)…

Another girlfriend of mine introduced me to lactation cookies, and I just thought why spend on a biweekly order when you can make ahead and freeze as much as you want! Galactagogues are foods, herbs, etc. that help promote lactation – these cookies have oats, flax, and brewer’s yeast, all of which are great at boosting your milk supply. Brewer’s yeast is not to be confused with regular old, active dry yeast used in baking. This type of yeast is the kind that’s used in beer-making, is rich in minerals, protein, and B vitamins, and can be found in powder form at the health food store.

Otherwise, these cookies taste great and are fine for the whole family to eat (without milk-producing consequences!). I love chocolate and dried fruit in mine, but you can play around with the add-ons because the recipe is pretty forgiving. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields approximately 2 dozen cookies (size-dependent)

1 ¼ cup oats

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup wheat germ

¼ cup ground flax seed

3 tablespoons brewers yeast

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup vegetable shortening

1/3 cup white sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips

¾ cup dried cranberries or cherries

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

In a bowl, mix together oats, flour, wheat germ, flax, brewer’s yeast, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer using a paddle attachment, cream together butter, shortening and both sugars. Add the egg and vanilla extracts. Add oat mixture and mix until almost completely incorporated. It should mostly be sticking to the paddle at this point. Scrape down, add in chips and dried fruit and mix for another 15 to 20 seconds until uniform.

At this point, I like to turn the cookie dough out onto plastic wrap, form into a cylinder, and freeze for about 10 minutes. This makes it easier to cut into even sized, round cookies. Conversely, you can just drop rounded spoonfuls a few inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes depending on how chewy or crunchy or what size you made the cookies. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Pomegranate-Mint Arnold Palmers

Now that the weather has officially turned here in NYC and the heat is on, I’ve been craving iced non-alcholic drinks on the regular to cool me down. Specifically, I’ve been nursing an addiction to Arnold Palmers, that half iced tea, half lemonade concoction that’s also referred to as Half and Half. They are ridiculously thirst quenching and have just enough caffeine that I don’t miss my coffee.

In the summer, I love to make a different pitcher of something every few days and leave it in the fridge. That way, when friends stop by I have the perfect, impromptu, non-alcoholic drink to serve that also works as a base for a cocktail (splash of vodka, anyone?) if the mood permits…

Of course, such a basic drink deserves a little twist, and I dressed mine up with pomegranate (2 ways!) and a touch of mint. I added a bit of pomegranate juice, but I also used pomegranate molasses to sweeten the drink. I’ve mentioned pomegranate, and other fruit, molasses in the past, and though the term molasses may call to mind a super sweet sugar byproduct, fruit molasses are actually quite healthy. They are just the cooked down version of the fresh juice, and I prefer using this as a natural sweetener here than anything else. You may want it to be a bit sweeter, so feel free to toss in a bit of agave or simple syrup if you need and enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields 1 big pitcher

4 English Breakfast tea bags

½ cup lemon juice

1 cup pomegranate juice

7-8 tbsps pomegranate molasses

additional simple syrup or agave, to taste

mint, for garnish

Procedure

Bring 8 cups of water up to a boil. Add tea bags and let steep 4 to 6 minutes. Remove tea bags and cool completely in the fridge.

Transfer cooled tea to a pitcher and add the lemon and pomegranate juices along with the pomegranate molasses. Taste and add simple syrup or agave to taste, if desired.

To serve, muddle a bit of mint in the glass before adding ice and pour the Arnold Palmer right over.

Peruvian Purple Corn

The other day I stumbled across some Peruvian purple corn in a local, ethnic market and had to share it with you guys. I nabbed a big stash of it, since it’s dried and will last for a minute in my pantry. Peruvian purple corn is a variety grown in the Andes and is used to make a popular drink called chicha morada and a dessert called mazamorra morada, both of which I had in Peru a few years back.

I’ll start with the fact that there are a bunch of studies that show that purple corn has incredible health benefits. Rich in antioxidants and with anti-inflammatory properties, it’s thought to treat everything from high blood pressure to obesity. Doesn’t it always seem like foods some cultures have been consuming for years for its health properties we are just discovering?

Now, mazamorra morada is a sweet corn pudding, thickened with potato or cornstarch and scented with spices like cinnamon and clove. But my favorite way to use this is chicha morada, which is a great warm or cold weather drink. It’s extremely easy to make, and you really don’t need much of a recipe. You basically want to steep the dried corn in water with a few sticks of cinnamon, some allspice berries, a few cloves, a bit of apple or quince, maybe some dried cherries, and pineapple rind. Let that simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, sweeten with sugar or honey, add a bit of (key) lime juice and that’s it!

It’s served cold, and in many places, chopped fruit is added at the end, much like sangria. A big secret is to let it stand in the fridge for a few days. That fermented taste is signature to a great chicha morada. Enjoy!

My Breakfast Clafoutis

Lately, I’ve been craving desserts on a daily basis, and so in an effort not to get too crazy, I’ve been searching out healthier alternatives to satisfy my sweet tooth. I made these as a fast and healthy weeknight dessert, but the leftovers quickly became my morning snack over the following days. And why not? Eggs, milk, fruit and almonds? Perfect breakfast food!

These are decently healthier than the last version of clafoutis I posted with Amarena cherries and dark chocolate…which are delicious! But, here, I used lowfat milk instead of heavy cream and made them gluten free with the addition of almond flour in lieu of all-purpose. Everything (except the berries) gets whirred in a blender before a short rest period, so these are super quick to make and can’t be easier for clean up.

I don’t put a ton of sugar in these since I have them for breakfast, so you may need to sweeten them up a bit more if you like it on the sweet side or finish with a bit of powdered sugar or an extra drizzle of honey. If you are using peak season berries, they should be plenty sweet – I use frozen berries in the off-season months myself. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields 6 6-ounce ramekins

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk, lowfat or otherwise

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tsps almond extract

¼ cup honey or light brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

1/3 cup almond flour

1 ½ cups berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or some combination)

cooking spray, for greasing

powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a blender, blend together eggs, milk, extracts, honey and salt. Add flour and blend for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend for another 10 to 15 seconds until flour is incorporated and there are no lumps. Rest batter in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to overnight.

Grease the ramekins, and place on a large baking sheet. Place ¼ cup of mixed berries in each ramekin and top with an even amount of batter in each.

Transfer baking sheet into the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes until lightly browned, raised and the custard is set. Remove and let cool slightly before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

An Easy Thanksgiving Side: Cranberry Salsa

Thanksgiving is my favorite of favorites, and I’ve already gone on and on about how my sides turn into a total global mash up. I love the day and although I go a little prep crazy, I do try to sneak in at least a few, no-brainer, quick dishes to make my life (and any voluntary sous-chefs!) a little easier.

This is a fast, Mexican-inspired side using seasonal fresh cranberries – don’t worry you can use frozen if that’s what you got. I like to mix this up the night before and let all the flavors mingle (and the cranberries break down a bit). It’s really tasty and adds a bit of heat and piquant flavor to the meal….enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribbed, finely chopped

2 – 4 tbsps sugar

pinch of salt

½ tsp lime zest

juice of half a lime

small handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Procedure

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Since different batches of cranberries can be sweeter than others, adjust the amount of sugar to your personal taste.

Refrigerate covered for at least a half hour to let the flavors marry. Serve chilled.

Announcement & Cookies for Everyone!

I have some exciting news and want to share it with you all. Hopefully, from reading my site over the past few years, you’ve had the opportunity to see that I have an incredible passion for culture, food and cooking. I love bringing together all of the travels and experiences that make up my life – combining flavors, textures, techniques and ingredients into my own personal style of cooking. I’ve recently signed on to do my first cookbook! I’m extremely thrilled (and a bit nervous, honestly…) to bring together and share the flavors of my Exotic Table in a lasting work, and over the next six months I’ll be cooking, writing, and photographing each step of the process. As you can imagine, my creative resources will be dedicated to the book, but I hope to share with you the experiences, inspirations and trials and tribulations here (p.s. I will from time to time to post interesting recipes you won’t be able to find in the book).

I want to thank you all for your continued support! None of this would be possible without the feedback and confidence I receive from you guys. As a token of my appreciation, I want to share with you my most treasured, secret, best cookie recipe ever! I’m a huge fan of how oatmeal changes the texture of a cookie and the combination of that with some dark chocolate and a touch of cinnamon and salt is heavenly… Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields approximately 2 dozen cookies (size-dependent)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature*

¼ cup shortening

1/3 cup white sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips

1 cup oats**

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer using a paddle attachment, cream together butter, shortening and both sugars. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix until almost completely incorporated. It should mostly be sticking to the paddle at this point. Scrape down, add in chips and oats and mix for another 15 to 20 seconds until uniform.

At this point, I like to turn the cookie dough out onto plastic wrap, form into a cylinder, and freeze for about 10 minutes. This makes it easier to cut into even sized, round cookies. Conversely, you can just drop rounded spoonfuls a few inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes depending on how chewy or crunchy or what size you made the cookies. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

*If you are feeling extra ambitious, browning the butter (heating the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides, little brown flecks appear in the bottom of the pan and it smells like hazelnuts) is a great step to add depth of flavor. Just cool down before the creaming step.

**Quick-cooking oats are fine here.

Lemon-Orange Blossom “Pots de Crème”

As a chef, one of the most thrilling things I experience is when I learn a new little trick or technique that makes a dish that much better (or that much easier!). I remember when I was in Turkey and witnessed a shortcut that would make baklava a quick and easy affair. And how in Ethiopian cuisine, warming chopped beef and bathing in spiced butter made a steak tartare truly legendary. It’s those little technique plays that are gratifying and why I’m so happy with this week’s lemon-orange blossom “pots de crème” recipe…

I recently read a recipe where lemon juice set a custard by simply being added to hot cream and then refrigerating. ?!?! I’ve used lemon juice in hot milk to break it and form cheese – it causes curdling, so to hear you could just add it like that and create a custard seemed quite frankly magical!

The good news is…it’s true! And so, of course, I tested a few recipes and came up with this one, which I think creates the best texture and combines the lovely citrus-y lemon with one of my favorite secret ingredients, orange blossom water. With traditional pots de crème, you have to make the custard one of the old school-styles (the two ways are, roughly: stirred on the stovetop or baked in the oven), which is to say scald cream and flavors, add egg yolks and bake in a low slow water bath until jiggly perfection like this one…. This is waaay simpler: heat cream with flavors, add lemon juice, refrigerate for a few hours…and that’s it! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields 6 5-inch oval ramekins

2 ½ cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup sugar

3 tbsps honey

2 ½ tbsps orange blossom water*

1 tbsp lemon zest

7 tbsps lemon juice

Procedure

In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream, vanilla bean, salt, sugar, honey, orange blossom water and lemon zest up to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep 20 minutes. Gently stir in lemon juice and strain cream mixture. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 to 5 hours until thickened (these can definitely be made a day or two ahead of time).

Serve well-chilled with fruit, if desired.

*The amount of orange blossom water really depends on the brand you are using. For mine, I used 2 ½ tablespoons, but taste yours as you add to make sure it doesn’t become too cloying.

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Matcha Crème Brûlée

Sopa de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Soup)

Corn with Green Chili Butter and Toasted Coconut

Jamaican Ackee & Saltfish

Cookies and Milk (not that kind…)

Pomegranate-Mint Arnold Palmers

Peruvian Purple Corn

My Breakfast Clafoutis

An Easy Thanksgiving Side: Cranberry Salsa

Announcement & Cookies for Everyone!

Lemon-Orange Blossom “Pots de Crème”