Black bean hummus

Hummus is so good for you; you can pack it full of nutritious ingredients, and legumes are a wonderful vegetarian protein.

But I find that I tire of the taste of regular hummus, which is made with garbanzo beans, but I still enjoy its dip-like consistency to enhance my raw veggies and sandwiches. So, I'm always hoping to find new bean-filled recipes that I can use -- such as this incredible garlic and white bean dip. Someday soon I'm going to try to make some kind of lentil-walnut spread.

Today I made black bean hummus, which is very similar to the regular kind but has lime and cilantro. The addition of carrots is important because my black bean hummus tends to be very thick. The carrots give it a little juice and sweetness and boost its nutritional value.

Black bean hummus (makes 1-1/2 cups)

1 small can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup tahini

juice of 2 small limes

2 small carrots, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

3/4 teaspoon cumin powder

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Serve as a sandwich spread or with fresh vegetables, pita chips, or crackers.

Food fact: Legumes are a type of vegetable that includes beans, lentils, soy nuts, edamame, and peas, among several others,and they are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, according to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.

"Legumes are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium," reads the clinic's Web site. "They're also a good source of protein and can be a healthy substitute for meat, which has more fat and cholesterol."

According to Nutrition Data, 1 cup of black beans has 227 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 15 grams of protein.

The Mayo Clinic offers a helpful guide to legumes and how to use them in food.

Coming soon: A post with useful kitchen tips.

Thai cucumber salad

I successfully recreated one of my favorite salads from Bloomingfoods; I adapted it slightly by leaving out the hot green pepper and making a dressing that I guessed would taste similar using sweet and spicy chile sauce. It's really good! A great spring/summer side.

Thai cucumber salad (makes 4 side servings)

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

optional: a little sliced onion (I decided not to include that today)

a splash of lime juice

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons sweet chile sauce

generous splash of rice wine vinegar

Whisk together the lime juice, honey, chile sauce, and vinegar. Put the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with dressing. You might have a little left over.

Leftovers: Meaty marinara sauce

To use up the leftover grilled steak -- frozen since dinner several days ago -- I did a simple Google search on it, and I came up with this tempting link. People love their steaks!

Because ours was frozen, I opted for something in which the meat was sliced.

I love the idea of making a long-simmered tomato sauce with it, to put on top of pasta -- especially because that requires no additional ingredients to what I have in the house. I figured I could just use a basic marinara recipe.

Meaty marinara sauce (makes 4 servings)

leftover steak, about 1/2 pound or so

2 cups diced tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, or marinara sauce

2 teaspoons dried oregano

two tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

splash of red wine

salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Because my steak was frozen, I put it in a large pot, covered it with a little water, and brought the water to a boil. Then I turned down the heat and let the steak simmer fgently for about 30 minutes, leaving it covered the whole time.

2.) Remove the steak from the water, and reserve about 1/2 cup of the water, which will now be quite greasy.

3.) Chop the steak into small bits, removing all gristle and fat.

4.) In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, then 2 minutes later (stirring frequently), add the garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes.

5.) Add the meat and oregano, and cook gently for about 10 minutes, allowing some of the liquid to reduce.

6.) Stir in diced tomatoes or marinara, red wine, and salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, gently simmering for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley just before serving with your favorite pasta or gnocchi.

Sicilian-style grouper

"Scrape up any brown bits." A recipe that says that is a recipe after my own heart.

This grouper recipe says that, and it's incredibly healthy and yummy, to boot!

This is the most labor-intensive fish dish during this fish-heavy week. (Still coming up we have mahi mahi and red snapper recipes.)

The recipe comes from Lidia's Italy, a cookbook whose dishes make my mouth water! The recipes are so very specific -- calling for, say, "hand-crushed" tomatoes -- but I trust whatever Lidia says because of the success I've had with her recipes -- especially my all-time favorite beef goulash recipe. (I will post that someday, I promise.)

Well, this is called "grouper matalotta style," and Lidia explains that "alla matalotta" can be done with halibut or striped bass or black bass. It's a dish rich with garlic, capers, and green olives. A true kitchen adventure for me! While I love green olives and capers in meals, I don't think I've ever cooked with them myself. And, I know I've never cooked with grouper.

Note: This recipe requires a heavy-bottomed sauce- or saute pan, about 13 inches wide with a cover. (Dan said that sounds like a Monty Python skit: "I've got a bit of heavy bottom sauce...")

I cut the recipe below in half for just Dan and me, though, so we didn't need a pan quite that large, but I used one anyway.

Grouper matalotta style (serves 6)

2 pounds skinless grouper fillet (halibut, striped bass, or black bass will also do)

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or to taste

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

all-purpose flour, for dredging (about 1/2 cup)

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed (let them sit for 10 or so minutes before using; their most healthful properties will be activated)

1/2 cup finely chopped celery hearts and leaves

1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste (I couldn't find these anywhere, so I left them out, unfortunately. I'm sure they gave a little zest to the dish.)

1 cup Sicilian or other large green, brine-cured olives, pitted and halved

2 tablespoons small capers, drained

2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, crushed by hand (Lidia recommends San Marzano, a brand I found at Bloomingfoods, but I used chopped tomatoes)

3 cups hot water, or as needed

6 large fresh basil leaves, shredded

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley (I wasn't sure what Italian parsley was, but here it is:)

1.) Slice the grouper into six chunks, roughly equal in size. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.

2.) Pour the olive oil into the saucepan and put it over medium-high heat.

3.) Dredge the fish chunks in flour, shaking off the excess, and set them in the hot oil. Cook for about 1-1/2 minutes.

Turn them and lightly color the other side. Remove with a spatula and place on a plate.

4.) Scatter the onion slices in the pan, and stir, scraping up bits. Toss in the garlic and celery, stir, and season with the peperoncino -- if you have it -- and another 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir for about two minutes as they sizzle, then toss in the olives and caper, stirring until they sizzle.

5.) Pour in the crushed -- or chopped -- tomatoes and hot water. Turn up the heat, and stir until the liquid boils. Adjust the heat to keep it bubbling, and stir in the basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

6.) Lay the grouper into the sauce in one layer, pouring any juices that have accumulated on the fish plate. Make sure the chunks are nearly covered with sauce; add more water if necessary.

7.) Heat rapidly back to a boil, then simmer gently, partially covered. Shake the pan to distribute that sauce.

8.) When grouper is tender and sauce is slightly thickened -- 20-25 minutes later -- turn the heat off.

9.) Just before serving, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on top and sprinkle with parsley.

We had this meal with roasted lemon broccoli, a staple in our house, and I highly recommend warm Italian (or French) bread alongside to soak up the sauce!

Holy guacamole!

I got this recipe from someone I knew in college. He was Mexican-English, and he said the key to great guacamole is two-fold: Keep it chunky, and use creme fraiche or sour cream to make it a little creamy.

I made this today as a zesty side dish to a southwestern "lasagna" I'm making for my daughter's first birthday, which is tomorrow. That recipe will be posted soon. It has whole wheat tortillas layered with black bean-cottage cheese puree; I was sticking to foods she and her 10-month-old friend Maya have eaten already. I'm curious about how it will turn out!

The guacamole is for the adults. To make sure it stays fresh, I save the pits of the avocadoes and leave them in the mixture until serving. It's important that this sits overnight because that really brings the flavors together.

If any readers make this, I'd love to know what you think.

Holy guacamole! (makes scant 4 cups)

4 avocadoes, halved, taken out of skins, pits kept for later

2 small to medium tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed

3-4 shakes of Tabasco

freshly ground black pepper and salt -- generous portions of both

juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix by hand to break up the avocado halves. Leave it chunky! Let it sit overnight with the pits in it. Remove them before serving with tortilla chips and salsa.

Wild mushroom soup with sage croutons

A Vegetarian Times magazine I have (from September 2007) says the "wild" mushroom in this soup is really just the porcini; the other mushrooms are cultivated species. I've actually never seen fresh porcini mushrooms. Have you? ... I realized while making this soup that I didn't make the fried sage quite the way it was supposed to be in this pumpkin soup recipe. I fried it a little too long, so it smoked and was quite dark when I ate it. It still tasted fantastic, though, but just frying the sage long enough -- until the oil stopped bubbling, about 1-2 minutes -- was plenty. The leaves were still crispy, and they looked much nicer. A dark green. (I have to say, the sage butter garnish on the pumpkin soup was so good, it's the reason I decided to try this mushroom soup recipe. The sage got my attention.)

I really love the croutons here. The recipe calls for French bread, and the simple mix of sage oil, salt, and pepper. Bake them just long enough, and they are super yummy, and subtle in flavor.

Wild mushroom soup with sage croutons (serves 6)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1.5 pounds fresh mushrooms, such as button, cremini, and shiitake, sliced (I used button and baby bellas, which I think are the same as cremini)

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in hot water 30 minutes, then drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

3 cups low-sodium veggie broth

2 cups water

optional: 1.5 cups whole or soy milk (This is my add-in. I like that somewhat creamy consistency, plus the soy milk adds a little sweetness that I think is needed here.)

12 sage leaves

salt and pepper (I think this needs LOTS of salt!)

6 slices French bread (each about 2-inches thick), cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1.) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for about 7 minutes, then stir in all the mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.) Add garlic, lemon zest, and thyme, and cook 1 minute.

3.) Stir in vinegar, and simmer about 3 minutes, or until liquid is evaporated.

4.) Add broth and water, and milk if using, as well as plenty of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

5.) Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

6.) Cool for 20 minutes, then puree in a food processor or with a hand blender.

7.) Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in sauce pan over medium-high heat. Fry sage leaves 1-2 minutes, or until bubbling subsides. Remove leaves from oil and put aside.

8.) Toss the sage oil with the bread cubes and add salt and pepper, to taste. Bake on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes, or until golden.

9.) Serve soup garnished with croutons and fried sage.

"Homemade" pizza

I put "homemade" in quotes because I cheated on an important part: the crust.

Sure, Daniel and I were hungry shoppers, and shopping for groceries while hungry is a bad idea. But we didn't get too much stuff, and we didn't have dinner plans, so the pizza crust was thoroughly justified.

And while it was an impulse buy, it was also a good decision. I've made "homemade" pizzas with store-bought crust before, and I'd just about given up on them. Until now!

We bought a Rustic Crust Tuscan Six Grain Pizza Crust. (If you click on that and check out their Web site, the answer is YES, I realize their frozen flatbreads cost an arm, a leg, or a first-born child. It's crazy!) But try a Rustic Crust pizza crust out if you get the chance. I can't speak for all the varieties -- and there are several, including Classic Sourdough and Cheesy Herb -- but the Tuscan Six Grain was awesome.

"Homemade" pizza with sausage, onion, and portabello mushrooms (makes 8 slices)

1 Rustic Crust Tuscan Six Grain Pizza Crust

enough olive oil with which to brush crust

1 portabello mushroom cap, chopped

1/2 medium or large red onion, sliced

pizza sauce of your choosing (we used a Muir Glen roasted garlic pasta sauce)

about 12 large, fresh basil leaves

5-6 ounces of sausage of your choosing (we used Lou's Famous Italian chicken sausage -- yum! -- but I do love the fattier, non-chicken Italian sausage, too)

generous sprinkling of garlic granules

shredded mozzarella or shredded Italian cheese blend, such as Organic Valley's mix

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.) Although the package of the chicken sausage stated it was fully cooked, we browned it in a skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes a side (no oil required). Slice the sausage thinly after browning.

2.) Spread olive oil on the pizza crust, then spread the tomato sauce on top of that.

3.) Spread the sausage, onion, and mushroom on the pie. Lay out the basil leaves evenly, so each slice will have a leaf. (You can also chop them and spread them around, if you prefer.)

4.) Top with garlic granules, cheese, and black pepper.

5.) Turn the oven down to 425 and bake the pizza directly on the middle oven rack for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to lightly brown. Serve with red pepper flakes on the side.

Today's fun food fact: Have you heard about the "I Want NY Pizza" site, where you can order New York pies that get delivered to your door? It's true; that's what they do. I haven't tried it out yet, but I plan to. I LOVE pizza, and I've eaten pizza in so many countries, it's either impressive or repulsive... The best pizza, hands-down, is in New Jersey and New York City. You just can't get the same thing anywhere else. I'll let you know what I think of this place after I try it (which will be at a time my husband and I can splurge, so it may be a while).

Acorn squash soup

When the weather starts getting cold, I can't get enough soup. Besides the fact that it's warming and healthful, I also find it fun to make.

You're probably going to see plenty more soup recipes here in the coming weeks. As you can see from my recipe posts for tilapia chowder with fresh tarragon, white chicken chili, chickpea soup with porcini mushrooms, vichyssoise, trout gumbo, and oh so many more: I'm serious about my soups!

I hope you like this new one. Roasting the veggies really brings out a nice flavor from the garlic and shallots, and I find they complement the squash nicely.

Acorn squash soup (serves 4)

2 acorn squash, or 1 acorn squash and 1 butternut, halved lengthwise

4 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

extra-virgin olive oil, just enough to brush on veggies

salt and pepper, to taste

3-4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)

1/2 cup soy milk (use this to keep it low fat/vegan), whole milk, or light cream

fresh chives, thyme, oregano, parsely, or tarragon, chopped, to garnish

1.) Preheat oven to 375, and scoop out the seeds from the squash. Brush cut side of vegetables with olive oil; rub the garlic cloves with a little oil, too. Salt and pepper liberally.

2.) Roast, cut side down, for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

3.) Scoop out the flesh from the squash, and put that in a soup pot with the shallots and peeled garlic cloves. Cover the vegetables with the stock.

4.) Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.

5.) Puree with a hand blender or food processor, then reheat gently with the soy milk, whole milk, or light cream.

6.) Serve with your fresh herb of choice as a garnish.

Today's question: What do you like to make with squash this time of year?

Stuffed tomatoes

You'd be hard-pressed to find a dish that's as healthy for you as this one, and it uses up tomatoes at a time of year when the last of the them need to be eaten.

We didn't have any luck with our tomatoes in the garden this year, but we've been buying them up at the local market. These were on their last legs, and this recipe works pretty well for such tomatoes.

Stuffed tomatoes (serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side)

4 medium tomatoes, tops sliced off and reserved, inside flesh chopped (liquid and seeds discarded) -- I like a mix of yellow and red

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley

6-8 tablespoons cooked wild rice

2 tablespoons shredded parmesan

1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, divided

1 teaspoon olive oil, plus enough to brush the bottom of a pan or crock pot

salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Mix the chopped tomato flesh with the garlic, parsley, rice, parmesan, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs.

2.) Fill the tomatoes with that mixture, and cook in a crock pot on low for 3 hours or so. If using the oven, bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. (Don't forget to lightly oil the crock pot or pan, so you can get the tomatoes out afterward.)

3.) In a separate bowl, mix the remaining breadcrumbs with the teaspoon of oil by hand.

4.) Take the tomatoes out of the oven or crock pot, top equally with the breadcrumb-oil mix and brown under a broiler. Replace the tops before serving, if you'd like.

Scalloped potatoes

My husband Dan high-fived me when I gave him a bite of this, just slightly cooled, fresh out of the oven.

I said, "It's from Amy Sedaris," and he said, "She likes people." Then he had another bite.

As a general rule, when things that have terrible ingredients and come straight out of a box but still taste great, the chances are pretty good they will taste excellent if they are homemade. Like macaroni and cheese or falafel. So I figured scalloped potatoes would be another of these.

Now I know I said in my last post that an upcoming recipe was for potatoes au gratin, but I'm pretty sure scalloped falls under the au gratin umbrella because the dish is browned in the oven and includes cheese.

I pulled one of my favorite cookbooks off the shelf for this. Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence is a really fun read, recipes aside. There aren't many cookbooks you can say that about. This book not only has lots of recipes -- for things like "pot roast for Jack Black," cheese balls, and the like -- but it also has crafts you'll probably never make (scented sachets made out of pantyhose, for instance) and sagely advice about partying from Amy herself.

The potatoes are called "Hugh's scalloped potatoes," and fans of the amazing writer David Sedaris (Amy's brother) know Hugh is his longtime love.

My photo shows the following recipe doubled.

Hugh's scalloped potatoes

1 tablespoon minced parsley (I used fresh)

1 cup thinly sliced onion

2.5 cups thinly sliced potatoes (I used new potatoes and left the skin on)

1 teaspoon salt

1.5 tablespoons butter

pepper, to taste

3.5 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk (I used whole milk)

paprika, to taste

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1.) Boil the potatoes and onion in enough water to cover them for about 5 minutes. Drain.

2.) Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and milk, and whisk. Add the paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir.

3.) Stir in the cheese.

4.) Oil the bottom of a 9x12-inch baking dish. Put a layer of potatoes and onion down (I used half of it), then a layer of sauce, then the parsley, and repeat until all ingredients are gone.

5.) Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Tilapia chowder with fresh tarragon

I used to buy those frozen packages that contained several fillets of tilapia; they were cheap, and what did I know? I've come to find it's worth spending an extra few bucks to get fresh fillets. Not only do they taste much more delicious, but they are much meatier than those flimsy frozen ones that have very little flavor until you add a bunch of stuff to them.

The idea for this recipe came from a recipe I saw a long time ago. It sounded so wonderful, but it had bacon and heavy cream. I think those ingredients are great for special occasions, but I wanted to make an everyday kind of soup that I wouldn't feel guilty about. I think part of what's so great about fish is that it's so healthy low-cal, and tilapia in particular is super lean. I also wanted a recipe I could throw in the crock pot and forget about for a while -- especially this week because I've got a lot on my plate (hee-hee).

Here's what I came up with. The fresh tarragon is very important, so don't consider leaving it out! It's a favorite herb of mine, and if you've never had it, take a taste to make sure you like it. It's got a hint of anise (slightly licorice-y).



Tilapia chowder with fresh tarragon (serves about 5)

1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped (I left the skins on)

2 carrots, sliced

1.5 teaspoons chicken broth powder

1/2 cup frozen peas

1.5 cups frozen corn

2 cups water

coarsely ground salt and black pepper, to taste

1.5 cups soy milk

about 4 tablespoons fresh tarragon, torn

1.) Put all ingredients except 3 tablespoons tarragon and the soy milk in a crock pot. Stir gently to blend, and cook on low for about 3.5 hours.

2.) Sprinkle the leftover tablespoons of tarragon on top of the chowder just before serving. I sprinkled a little on each individual bowl.



"I believe that if I ever had to practice cannibalism, I might manage if there were enough tarragon around." (James Beard, as quoted at Timeless Quotes)

Super low-calorie zucchini slaw

It's time to get serious again about watching what I eat. I mentioned in this blog that I had 5 more baby pounds to lose. Sadly, I still have those 5 pounds. But, hey, at least it's not more!

Anyway, it hasn't been easy to diet with visitors here -- I want to make good meals that they will remember -- and I think I've indulged for good reasons (my dad's birthday and my parents' anniversary).

I'm pretty good at finding recipes that are fun to make AND low-calorie and low-fat. I guess it's become sort of a mission in my life. You know, it's easier to make delicious meals with lots of bad ingredients, such as butter and cream. And who doesn't love deep-fried things like fried chicken or donuts? To make delicious meals that are also good for you, well, that's a real challenge.

Here's a recipe that has just 31 calories per serving! Sure, it's just a side dish, but how many side dishes can you say that about? 31 calories is nothing.

Also: It's got no fat, 2 grams of protein per serving, and 6 grams of carbs per serving. Oh, yeah: and it tastes really good! I like it with blackened fish. (FYI, I got this from Eating Well.)

Zucchini slaw (makes 6 servings)

1.5 pounds zucchini, grated

1 medium sweet onion, such as vidalia, very thinly sliced

1.5 teaspoons coarse salt

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 small red pepper, diced

3 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate

2 tablespoons fresh basil

salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Toss the zucchini and onion with the coarse salt, and set in a colander to drain for a half-hour.

2.) Squeeze them to get rid of the juices, and place them in a bowl.

3.) In a separate bowl, combine apple juice concentrate, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the zucchini, onion, red pepper, and basil to the dressing.

4.) Add salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Coming up this week: OK, I know, I know, I've slacked again... I promise I will post the olive oil bread-dip recipe this week. I will also post a warm barley cereal recipe, corny cornbread, and Jamaican pumpkin curry stew (I'm most excited about that one!).

Today's question: What's your favorite diet-worthy meal, side, or snack?

Stuffed tofu with spicy tahini sauce

I'm always looking for new tofu recipes. I've grown to love those chewy, protein-packed pieces of mysteriousness. (Is that even a word?)

One of my favorite things is that deep-fried tofu appetizer at Japanese restaurants. Mmmm.

Well, I was browsing through The Wine and Food Lover's Diet and found a recipe for tofu "pockets" that were packed with fresh herbs, then topped with a spicy tahini sauce. I love tahini, and the sauce actually is the star of the meal. It's loaded with garlicky-lemony goodness, and it will become a regular dip of mine. In fact, I had some today on roasted salmon and Brussels sprouts that I got in a hurry at my beloved Bloomingfoods coop.

As usual, I've adapted the recipe for the tofu, but the sauce has been kept in tact from the book. I like the idea of stuffing tofu, so in the future I will make it with other fillings, such as spinach or other greens, or maybe spiced couscous.

Stuffed tofu (serves 2)

8-10 ounces water-packed, firm tofu

10 basil leaves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 green onion, thinly sliced

zest of half a lemon

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1.) Drain the tofu on a paper towel, with something weighted on top, such as a pan or plate.

2.) Cut the tofu in half lengthwise, then in half across the width. Then split those pieces into triangles. You should have 8.

3.) In a small bowl, combine basil, red pepper, lemon zest, green onion, and toasted sesame seeds.

4.) Slice each triangle, lengthwise, halfway through. Stuff with basil mixture.

5.) Heat oil in a non-stick skillet, and sear the tofu, about 2 minutes per side. Be careful not to break the tofu or lost the filling when flipping. Serve with spicy tahini sauce.

Spicy tahini sauce

1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup water

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

juice of half a lemon

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and black pepper

Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend. Heat in a small saucepan before serving. It should be creamy and bubble while heating. Dish is shown below with roasted lemon broccoli.

Chickpea soup with porcini mushrooms

My instincts must have been right-on when I was craving soup. Not only did I get a cold earlier this week, but the weather turned pretty cool today -- at least by Indiana summer standards -- so soup was definitely in order.

This is the second impressive recipe I've tackled from Lidia's Italy. I love the book because it's packed with interesting tidbits about culture, how the regions in Italy embrace different dishes, and so on. The first recipe I tried was her beef goulash, and oh man, I could eat that every day. The recipes are fairly time-consuming, though, so thankfully that's not a possibility.

The chickpea soup with porcini mushrooms took a total of two and a half hours, from start to finish. That's key. Because the chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and the mushrooms cook for almost two hours together, so the texture becomes what Lidia describes aptly as "velvety."

I cut the recipe in half here; hers makes 12 servings, and because it's just my husband and I eating it, that was overkill. Below is how I interpreted her recipe.



Chickpea soup with porcini mushrooms (serves 6)

1/2 pound dried chickpeas, rinsed and soaked overnight covered by about 4 inches of cold water

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms

1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1.5 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3/4 cup canned plum tomatoes, hand-crushed

1 pound fresh mushrooms -- I used shiitake, portabello, and white button

black pepper, to taste

optional (and I highly recommend!): some fresh parmesan, very thinly sliced

1.) Drain and rinse the chickpeas and put them in a soup pot, along with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, add the dried porcini, and leave lid partially covered while that gently bubbles.

2.) Put the onion, celery, fresh herbs, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a food process, and proces into a paste-like consistency. (Lidia explains, by the way, that this paste is used in various sauces, stews, and soups in food in Maremma, Italy. It's called a pestata until it's browned in a skillet, at which point it becomes a soffritto. See next step.)

3.) Put the oil in a skillet, and cook the paste over medium-high heat until it starts to brown and stick to the skillet (about 4 minutes).

4.) Add the crushed tomatoes, and scrape the paste into the soup. Cook, uncovered, for about an hour.

5.) Add the fresh mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let it continue to cook another 45 minutes to an hour, or until the broth is thick and the chickpeas tender.

6.) Pour soup into serving bowls and if using parm, sprinkle some of that on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and serve with warm crusty bread.



Today's question: What's your favorite kind of soup? I have so many... I'll have to get my Mexican corn chowder and chicken mulligatawny recipes up here someday...

Leftovers: Garden-fresh pilaf

I have exciting news to share. There's butternut squash growing in our yard! We found it where our compost pile once sat. It's a great addition to the rice pilaf I am making to use up the leftover rice from the poblano enchiladas in green sauce.

This "garden-fresh pilaf" also has a generous amount of parsley and sage, and if you want, you can throw in other fresh herbs of your choosing, such as chives, cilantro, or mint. I think it tastes great on its own, but you can use it to stuff tomatoes (then bake at 350 degrees until heated through) or as a side dish.

A note about butternut squash: It's a sweet squash that tastes great as a dessert with a little brown sugar and butter, and it's great in soups and baked goods. It's also fairly low in calories, with just 82 calories per cup of cubed pieces.

Garden-fresh rice pilaf (makes 2 large main servings or 4-6 sides)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted (you can substitute pecan or walnut pieces)

1 medium butternut squash

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped

2 cups cooked wild rice blend

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/3 cup golden raisins

salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

2.) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and red pepper, and cook for about three minutes, stirring frequently. Turn heat down to medium-low.

3.) Scoop out chunks of the squash when it's cool enough to handle. Add the chunks of squash, rice, parsley, sage, raisins and almonds to the skillet, and heat through.

4.) Salt and pepper to your liking.

Bundles of basil: Tomato salad

Here's another basil recipe for you, one that also will help you make use of those fresh, plump tomatoes that are so plentiful this time of year.

Tomato salad

1 large yellow tomato, cut into sections

3 Roma tomatoes, sliced

a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes

25 medium basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

drizzle of olive oil

drizzle of white balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Arrange the tomatoes on a platter. Top with basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and vinegar.

Coming up next week: My friend Courtney suggested I make something Mexican -- a great idea, I think, considering that's one kind of food I really know nothing about cooking. I love to eat it, though. Jonathan has requested more vegetarian and vegan recipes, so I will make something very veg, too.

I won't have any recipes on Saturday or Sunday because I'll be out of town. Check back on Monday!

Q: Why don't vegetarians eat clowns?

A: Because they taste funny.

Bundles of basil: Pesto

I'm not a big fan of super hot weather and humidity, and I don't care much for hanging out at the pool or in the sun. Exercising outside, for me at least, has to be done in the early morning hours, and the pollen count makes that somewhat difficult even then.

As you can surmise, summer is not my favorite season.

But it does bring us basil, and basil makes me happy.

Today I made a pesto with the basil that's growing like mad in our garden. I changed it from my usual recipe a bit: It has walnuts in place of pine nuts. I realized at the last minute that I didn't have any pine nuts, but I had been wanting to try walnuts in the recipe for a while.

However, not that all is said and done, I have to say the pesto tastes better with pine nuts. (I did once try a cilantro-walnut pesto, and that was superb.)

Here's my recipe. I like to use it on grilled vegetables, on crackers, as a sandwich spread, and on pasta or gnocchi. You can cut it in half, of course. I made a large batch to get rid of some of the basil we have.

Basil pesto (makes 2 cups; a serving of pasta needs about 2 tablespoons)

3 ounces fresh basil, washed and trimmed

3/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts in a pinch)

3/4 cup olive oil

3 large cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded parmesan (packed)

black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until almost completely smooth.

Lots and lots of lemongrass

I know I like the taste of lemongrass, but if you asked me to tell you what the plant looks like, or how to use it in recipes, until just the other day I wouldn't have had an answer.

As I looked for a fun recipe involving beef and the grill, I came across Nancie McDermott's grilled lemongrass beef in Quick & Easy Vietnamese: 75 Everyday Recipes. It looked so delicious in Caren Alpert's photo, I immediately added a couple of things to my shopping list.

When I asked my husband if he knew where I could buy fresh lemongrass -- it's not something I've noticed at the store -- he looked at me as if he thought I was kidding. As it turns out, we have plenty of lemongrass in our garden, just next to the raised plot that's currently drowning in basil (a nice problem to have, by the way, especially if you like pesto as much as we do).

For those of you who don't know how to spot the green herb, it basically looks like tall grass with green onions at the bottom. (In my photo, it's the grassy thing in the middle of the two blooming plants.) It has a pungent taste and is used commonly in fairly small amounts in Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

I won't be posting a recipe today; I have made the difficult decision to do some deep kitchen cleaning today instead. I feel this is certainly more unfortunate for me than for you readers...


Check back tomorrow for the beef recipe.

The question of the day: What's your favorite thing to grill?

Fish dish, part 2: Salt-crusted trout

OK, making a salt crust for a whole fish really IS simple. Fun, too.

It's the rest of the mess that's tricky!

First, I must say that the salt crust really created fish that was super flavorful; I stuffed one with fresh dill and two others with a combination of fresh sage, tarragon and parsley. They were delicious. They also cooked relatively quickly -- 35 minutes at 400 degrees. (That's always a plus for people who like the idea of slow food and cooking something all afternoon but know the reality of it doesn't fit into their lives.) The whole process, from the time I unwrapped the fish to the time I had them on a platter, took less than an hour.

But... I didn't realize how tough it was to cut away gills and fins. Literally tough, yes, but I also got pretty squeamish. These things have heads with faces! Yikes. Plus, it was all a bit slimy.

Another difficult aspect was getting the fillets off the bones. Can one ever really get rid of all the bones before serving such fish? I don't know. I do know that the surprise of finding little bones in my mouth has always been an unwelcome one, and it's a reason I've stayed away from whole fish all these years.

All in all, I'm not sure I will repeat this dish. It's just so much easier to get fillets at the store, totally boneless and ready for the oven, the grill, or a marinade.

If you're up for trying a whole fish roasted in salt, have a go at it. I would request a fish that already has its gills and fins removed. Any small, whole fish will do. Here's how I made mine. It's adapted from "Fish: Without a Doubt," by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore.

Salt-crusted trout (serves 4)

3 whole trout, about 2 pounds in all, gutted and scaled, with gills and fins removed

5 egg whites

3/4 cup water

5 cups of sea salt

fresh herbs

1.) Whisk together the egg whites and water until they are very frothy. I whisked by hand for a few minutes.

2.) Add the sea salt into the mixture; it should feel like coarse, wet sand.

3.) Stuff the fish with the fresh herbs.

4.) Scoop about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of the mixture onto a baking sheet that's covered in foil. Lay the fish on top. 5.) Cover them completely with the rest of the salt mixture, and roast at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. When you remove it from the oven, it will look something like this:

6.) Crack the salt crust off, and let the fish cool for about 4 minutes. (My crust cracked off nicely in some spots, but crumbled in others. Not sure why.) Peel off the skin, and lift the top fillets off the bones.

7.) Pick up the bottom halves and do the same on a different surface. (This part is tricky; turn the bottom halves around, so the skin is on top again.)

Serve with lemon slices.

The question of the day: What's your favorite dish to make for a party?