Baked Haddock with Bacon and Onion Crust

I bought some haddock at the farmers market today and figured I could just bake it and not need a lot of fancy ingredients to make it.  So I searched the internet for a baked haddock recipe and came across one on epicurious.  I made some adjustments and here's what I did.  It was really good -- a little more interesting than the basic baked haddock.

4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup panko
3 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds haddock or cod
2 teaspoons mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a skillet cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened.  Transfer to a bowl and add the panko, dill pickle relish, and salt and pepper to taste (I used between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt).  Arrange the haddock on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Spread the top of the fish with mayonnaise and cover the fish with the panko mixture, pressing it in gently.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fish just flakes.

Makes about 4 servings.

Mango-Chipotle Chicken and Smoked Potato Salad

I made this chicken tonight and loved it.  I used to hate chicken... and I love this chicken!  The kids liked it too.  They ate it without the extra sauce on it.  We loved the sauce and loaded it up.  The picture shows the chicken with a chimichurri sauce that I made to go with it.  It was good, but it wasn't necessary and almost distracted from the mango-chipotle flavors.  Next time, I'm not bothering with  the chimichurri, so I'm not even bothering with that recipe.  Anyway, tonight's dinner was heavily inspired by some in Food Network Magazine.  I changed the chicken one a bit to reduce how much it made and I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken on the bone with skin.  I get a little grossed out by chicken on the bone, which doesn't really make sense since I eat steaks and pork chops on the bone.

Mango-Chipotle Chicken

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and chopped
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, not chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 1 teaspoon sauce from the can
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil, plus more for the grill
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Put the mangoes, cilantro, chipotles, adobo sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and canola oil in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Toss half of the mango mixture with the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and massage the chicken to coat with the sauce.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours to marinate.

Put the other half of the mango mixture in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until slightly thicker, about 15 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium and brush the grates with canola oil.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for about 20 minutes total turning until cooked through.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with the reserved mango sauce.

2-3 servings (the four of us, two adults and two young kids, finished it off in one sitting)

Smoked Potato Salad


2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for the grill
2 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons chopped capers
juice of half a jumbo lemon

Preheat a grill to low.  Oil the grates.  Slice the potatoes into 3/4-inch thick slices.  Place potatoes in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons canola oil, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Place the potatoes on the grill.  Cover and cook 5 minutes.  Rotate potato slices 90 degrees and cook an additional 5-10 minutes.  Flip the potatoes and repeat on the other side.  They should be slightly puffed and golden brown.  Remove and allow to cool completely.  Cut into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, celery, red onion, and cilantro.  In a smaller bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, capers, and lemon juice.  Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the potato mixture until coated.  Cover and refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.  Stir and adjust seasoning as needed.

4-6 servings

Potato and Kale Cakes

Our vegetable CSA started this week and we got kale, arugula, and lettuce.  The arugula and lettuce were easy to figure out what to do with, but I've never gotten excited about kale.  Until now!  I found this delicious recipe on bonappetit.com for potato and kale cakes.  The recipe can be found from this link.  I made it exactly as it's written with one exception.  Instead of pan frying the cakes at medium-high heat, I found that medium-low heat was more appropriate.  I forgot to take a picture, so maybe I'll get a picture of the leftovers tomorrow or I'll get one next time I make these.

Fusilli with Leeks and Hot Italian Sausage

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground to a powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup dry wine wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 pound hot italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled

splash of sherry vinegar

1 pound fusilli

1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley

1 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the leeks, ground fennel seed, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon salt). Saute until the leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock, cove, and cook 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy frying pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until well browned, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour off most of the fat and add a splash of sherry vinegar.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking water.

Add the sausage to the saute pan with the leeks and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add additional cooking water if it seems dry. Adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a large shallow bowl. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, the parsley, and romano cheese and stir to combine.

Makes about 6 servings.

Cajun Mac and Cheese

This is so easy and delicious. The most time-consuming part is chopping the scallions and peppers, but it's worth a bit of chopping. We love this. My version of this recipe is based on one from Food Network Magazine.

12 ounces wagon-wheel pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

7-8 ounces uncured, cooked ham, cut into small cubes

2 bunches scallions, white and lighter green parts only, sliced

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cajun spice blend

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and peppers and cook until vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the cajun seasoning and flour, stirring for 2 more minutes. Gradually stir in the milk and continue to stir until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes more.

Add the pasta, cheese, and about 3/4 cup of the cooking water to the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about a minute or two.

Makes about 4 large servings.

Swedish Meatballs

It's possible that I might be addicted to these meatballs. I rarely go back for more meat during a meal, but when I make these, I keep going back for more.

About seven or eight months ago I made the switch to grass-fed, free-range beef and free-range, all-natural chicken. I think both taste better than supermarket meats. They are more costly too, but I think it's worth it.

Back to the swedish meatballs... I didn't make huge changes to this recipe that I found in Food Network Magazine. The first change was in the meat. I wanted to try these, but I didn't have ground pork and I only had a 1-pound pack of ground beef, so that's all I used. Since we enjoyed them so much, I decided that this was how I would always make them. I also just use a whole small onion instead of trying to measure it. It's more than 1/3 cup and that's ok. Another change is in the amount of cream in the sauce. I accidentally measured out 1/3 cup of cream instead of the specified 1/4. So, I've stuck with my mistake. My final change is not refrigerating the meatballs before cooking them. It might be better to do it, but it's a lot faster to not bother.

Meatballs

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 pound lean grass-fed, free-range beef

1 egg and 1 egg white, beaten

Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup heavy cream

fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and about 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste. Let cool slightly. Add the beef , egg, and egg white and mix until combined. (I generally just use my hands.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll the meat mixture into approximately 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with minced parsley (optional).

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I really like brussels sprouts, but David doesn't like them that much. I got all excited when I saw really nice brussels sprouts at Trader Joe's last week. They were on the stalk and looked beautiful. They had a recipe attached to them for a more complicated roasting which involved maple syrup. So I took the idea of using maple syrup and came up with this quick and easy way to roast them. And, perhaps those that aren't crazy about brussels sprouts might enjoy them too!

1 - 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and quartered lengthwise

coarsely ground sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper over the brussels sprouts. Whisk the maple syrup and olive oil together and drizzle it over the sprouts. Gently toss the sprouts so they are evenly coated. Roast for 20-25 minutes until sprouts are tender and slightly caramelized. Makes about 4 servings.

Lettuce Cups with Stir-Fried Chicken

These actually only mildly interested me when I decided to try the recipe. I decided to try them because they were pretty easy and I wanted to challenge myself to try something different. I'm glad I did because these were really good, pretty easy, and pretty healthy.

The original recipe is from bon appetit and is online. Here's how I made it:

1 head boston or butter lettuce, leaves removed, washed, and left whole

1/2 cup Asian sweet chili sauce

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into about 1/2" cubes

3 scallions, minced

3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon corn starch

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 medium shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews, chopped

Whisk the soy sauce, scallions, and corn starch in a medium bowl. Stir the chicken in and marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for about 15 seconds. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the chicken mixture and cook, stirring often until golden brown and cooked through, 6-7 minutes. Place a spoonful of the chicken mixture in each lettuce leaf. You'll probably need 12-16 lettuce leaves. Garnish with cashews. Drizzle sweet chili sauce over the chicken and roll leaves around the filling to eat.

Note: don't be dumb like me and spoon the hot chicken mixture into a lettuce leaf with a tear while holding the lettuce leaf in your hand. Wow, that burned! Sometimes I'm amazed at the things I do...

Brown Bread

I found a recipe for brown bread on epicurious.com and tried it. I love brown bread. It was pretty easy to make, but it does take a while to bake. I wasn't so keen on using an old can to bake it in, so I used a pudding mold.

Baked Beans

Yes, I'm still alive and still cooking a lot. In the last few months Adeline (now 8 1/2 months old) has been demanding most of the small amount of free time I once had. Anyway, I made these baked beans for dinner tonight and David and I loved them. They're sort of a combination and variation on two recipes, so I'm making myself add the recipe now so I'll know what I did for next time I crave baked beans.

1 pound dried great northern beans

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons molasses

3/4 pound (12 ounces) applewood smoked bacon, chopped

Rinse the beans and pick them over. Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover the beans by about an inch. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Drain the beans and transfer them to a large saucepan and add water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Set the lid askew and reduce the heat to medium-low until the beans are barely tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the salt after 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender and golden brown. Remove from heat.

When the beans are ready, drain them in a colander, reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer the beans to a bowl. Add the cooked onion, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, brown sugar, and molasses and stir to combine.

Line the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish or dutch oven with one-third of the bacon. Add half the beans, then half of the remaining bacon. Top with the remaining beans and bacon. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to barely cover the beans. Cover and bake for 2 hours. Uncover and bake another 1 1/2 hours.

Makes 8 servings.

BLT Pasta

The first time I made this, it was good. Tonight was the second time I made it and with a few adjustments, it was great. Th
is recipe is my version of a recipe from Food Network Magazine.

12 ounces penne

6 ounces applewood smoked bacon, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 pints grape tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 cups arugula

1/2 cup asiago cheese, finely grated

Cook the penne in salted water until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid. Drain.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium heat until just crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and reserve 3 tablespoons of the drippings. In a large saute pan, heat the 3 tablespoons bacon drippings over medium high heat and saute the onion about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic. Saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 12 minutes stirring often. Add the cream and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add the pasta, bacon, and 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Stir in the arugula until it is wilted. Stir in the asiago cheese. Remove from heat and serve. Serve with additional grated asiago cheese. Makes about 4 servings.

Bacon and Leek Quiche

I made this for the second time tonight and I'm now satisfied with my recipe. The original idea came from Food Network Magazine. A friend recommended the magazine and I've now bought two issues. I like it, so I think I'll subscribe. Anyway, the September issue had a section with 50 things to do with bacon. I liked the basic ingredients for their bacon quiche idea, but I thought the custard part of the quiche would be too rich for me, being made with cream and all. Here's my version:

6 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped

2 leeks, sliced

0.4 lbs gruyere cheese, finely grated

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

freshly ground pepper

9-inch frozen pie crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the bacon until crisp and slightly browned in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drain the bacon over paper towels on a plate. Reserve the bacon drippings. Add 2 tablespoons bacon drippings back to the skillet. Saute the leeks in the bacon drippings over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Spread a small amount of the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Spread the leeks over the cheese. Add a small amount of cheese over the leeks. Add the bacon over the cheese. Add the remaining cheese over the bacon. Whisk the milk, eggs, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together and pour evenly in the pie crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes until center is set. Let quiche cool and set for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

I have nothing to write about this soup except that it's healthy and delicious. The original recipe is from Cooking Light from maybe ten years ago.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 - 3 carrots, finely diced
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 cup dried lentils
5 oz baby spinach
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
finely grated parmesan or asiago cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, celery, carrot, and bay leaves; saute for 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, salt, and minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add vegetable stock, water, and lentils; bring mixture to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer mixture for 25 minutes. Stir in the spinach, parsley, vinegar, mustard, and pepper; cook 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls; top with cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Broccoli Quiche

This is probably my recipe for dinner with the fastest prep time. It's a recipe that until now had scribbled on a piece of paper. The instructions probably make no sense to anyone but me. It's one of several recipes from my mother that I took down when I moved into my first apartment. My one change is the addition of a small amount of cayenne pepper.

As I mentioned in a previous quiche post, I barely made quiche because I was so hung up on making everything from scratch for the longest time. I do still think that my homemade crust is best, but the all-natural frozen crusts I've been buying are good enough for a quick dinner.

1 9-inch frozen pie crust

2 cups shredded colby jack (or cheddar or just monterey jack...) cheese

10 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the eggs and mayonnaise. Whisk in the milk, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle a little cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Spread the broccoli over the cheese. Spread the rest of the cheese over the broccoli. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the almonds over the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center of quiche is set. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Lentil Cakes with Raita and Roasted Garlic

Another delicious recipe from bon appetit! I especially enjoyed the raita. I basically just followed the recipe tonight, so I'm just going to link to it here and skip typing it in. The only change I made was to not bother using oil when cooking them. With a nonstick pan, I didn't see the need. Aside from that, I'll just caution that with my pan and my stove, cooking over medium-low heat was much better than medium heat.

Next time I make these, I'm making a double batch!

French-Canadian Meat Pie

I grew up having meat pie every once in a while because my mother used to make it. I think true French-Canadian meat pie might have ground pork in it. I don't remember if my mother used to make it with beef or pork or a combination, but I make it with ground beef.

Ever since the farmers' market started in July, I've been getting free-range, all-natural meat there. We're now eating less meat, but better quality, locally produced meat.

Filling

1 large potato, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

2 teaspoons dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Add potato to a medium saucepan and cover with at least an inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and keep partially covered until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain. Mash potato coarsely with a masher or fork.

While potato is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion starts to soften. Add garlic and saute for another minute, stirring constantly. Add ground beef. Use spoon to break up the meat. Add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir often. When meat is fully cooked, skim most of the fat out of the pan. Remove from heat and add mashed potato. Stir until meat mixture and potato are well combined and mixture binds together. Set aside.

Crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.

6-8 tablespoons cold water

Add flour and salt to a food processor. Pulse a few times to blend. Add butter to flour and salt and process until it resembles crumbs. Add water 2 tablespoons at a time. Process until the dough sticks together and starts to form a ball in the food processor. Split the dough in half.

Assembly

1 egg, beaten (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out one dough half large enough to cover a 9" glass pie plate. Add meat filling. Roll the other half of the dough large enough to cover the filling and edge of the pie plate. Fold the rolled out dough in half and cut 4 or 5 slits diagonally in the center of the fold to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes. Place the dough on top of the filling. Trim the extra dough to about 1/2 - 1" of the edge of the pie plate. Fold the edges under within the pie plate and pinch the dough along the edge of the pie plate. Optionally, brush the top of the crust with the beaten egg. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until crust is golden. Makes 6 servings.

Black Bean Casserole

I really wish this dish looked prettier than it does. It's really delicious, basically healthy, vegetarian, and quite filling. The original recipe was from a 1999 Cooking Light issue. I'd say it is pretty light if you use half the cheese that I use and fat-free sour cream. I love cheese and I don't worry much about how much fat is in our food, so I use a nice amount of cheese.

I vary this dish a little depending on what I have available. The corn tortillas that I like best come in packages of 8, so I usually just throw 4 extra tortillas in. Last night when I made this, I didn't have enough cilantro and forgot to buy a jalapeno, so I used what cilantro I had and didn't worry about the jalapeno. It was still good because there are so many flavors. I vary the salsa also. I usually use a 24 ounce jar of Tostitos mild salsa, but last night I used the leftover roasted verde salsa that I made the night before.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded colby jack cheese

1 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, sliced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 cups (24 ounces) salsa

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the brown rice in 1 1/4 cups water for about 40-45 minutes, until soft and water is fully absorbed. Combine the rice, 1 cup of the cheese, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spread a couple spoonfuls of salsa on the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish. Dip 6 tortillas in the salsa to coat them and arrange them on the bottom of the baking dish. Spread about half the black bean mixture over the tortillas. Dip the remaining 6 tortillas in the salsa and arrange them over the black bean mixture. Spread a few spoonfuls of salsa over the tortillas. Spread the remaining black bean mixture over the tortillas. Pour and spread the remaining salsa over the black bean mixture. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until bubbly. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Roasted Corn Salad with Manchego

I modified a bon appetit recipe from this month's issue. I was actually especially excited for the farmers' market on Friday so I could get more corn and try this recipe. It was perfect with the beer-brined grilled pork chops and roasted verde salsa. The original recipe is online. Here's my adaptation:

6-7 ears of sweet corn, unhusked

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unslated butter

coarsely ground sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup finely grated Manchego cheese

3 tablespoons minced cilantro

zest from one lime

Preheat oven to 450. Roast unhusked corn on a baking sheet, turning occasionally until heated through and crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Shuck the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and saute until heated through and light-golden in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer corn to a large wide bowl. Add the jalapeno, crushed red pepper, Manchego cheese, cilantro, and lime zest. Stir until blended. Makes about 4 large servings.

Beer-Brined Grilled Pork Chops with Roasted Verde Salsa

I got two pork chops at the farmers' market on Friday and wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with them. So I did a search on the bon appetit website and modified two recipes I found. The pork chops recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from the July 2001 issue. The salsa is from a recipe in the August 2007 issue. I could really taste the beer in the meat and it was delicious.

I served this with a roasted corn salad with manchego and a whole grain bread boule.

Beer-Brined Grilled Pork Chops

1 cup water

1 cup lager beer

1/8 cup coarse kosher salt

3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup ice cubes

2 pork chops (about 1 1/4 pounds total weight)

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Combine the water, beer, salt, and brown sugar in a bowl and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the ice cubes. Place the pork chops in a resealable plastic bag and pour the brine mixture over the pork chops. Refrigerate for about 4 hours turning the bag occasionally.

Mix the garlic, black pepper, and salt. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Spread the garlic mixture over both sides of each pork chop. Grill over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes on each side. Makes 2 servings.

Roasted Verde Salsa

about 2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed

6 garlic cloves, peeled

2 jalapeno peppers

1 small white onion, chopped

3/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon was good to me)

Place the tomatillos, garlic cloves, and jalapenos on a baking sheet and broil until tender and vegetables are slightly charred, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool until they can be handled. Stem and deseed the jalapenos. Put the onions, cilantro, tomatillos, garlic, and jalapenos in a food processor and puree until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt. Makes 3-4 cups.

Spicy Grilled Tofu and Roasted Carrots

I'm very pleasantly surprised by how well this grilled tofu came out. I experimented a bit last night coming up with this marinade and it was very tasty. This was my first attempt at grilling tofu and it was definitely a success.

I served the tofu with brown rice, roasted green beans, and roasted baby carrots. Here are the recipes for the grilled tofu and the roasted carrots:

Spicy Grilled Tofu

14 ounce package of extra firm tofu

3 scallions, white part only, thickly sliced

4 cloves garlic

3/4 cup less sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Drain the tofu. Slice crosswise into 8 slices. Let the tofu slices drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, put the sliced scallions and garlic cloves in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Whisk together the scallions, garlic, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients. Pour out 1/2 cup to use as a sauce.

Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer in a dish and pour the remaining marinade over the tofu slices. Cover dish and marinate overnight.

Discard the marinade. Brush grill rack with oil and grill over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Makes 4 servings.

Roasted Carrots

1 pound baby carrots

2 tablespoons olive oil

coarsely ground sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Arrange carrots on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over carrots and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat the carrots with the oil, salt, and pepper. (I generally use my hands) Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes, using tongs to toss the carrots after 20 minutes. Makes about 4 servings.