Category Archives: Food2

August 8, 2011 · 4:43 pm

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Summer Vegetables

Corn, zucchini, tomatoes, and arugula are all local seasonal ingredients widely available at just about every market in town during the hot summer months. I made this dish for a light, summery lunch, but bring it out onto a metropolis rooftop along with a few bottles of pinot grigio and close friends and now you’re talking.

I happened to stumble upon a few family gardens this weekend and found these beautiful zucchini flowers. Rare and extremely fragile, I knew I had to take advantage of the gorgeous summer veggie and its unique flavor.

Recipe: Rina Oh

Stuffed Zucchini Flower with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients
4-6 zucchini flowers
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
2 cups cooked corn kernels
1 cup arugula
1 cup baby Roma tomatoes, quatered
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Place about a tablespoon of ricotta cheese into zucchini flowers, season with salt and pepper and lightly coat in flour. In the meantime bring frying oil to a temperature of about 350 degrees in a medium-size skillet.

Fry zucchini flowers for about 1-2 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

In a medium-size skillet, heat olive oil on medium to high heat and saute corn kernels for about 2-3 minutes. Add arugula and toss until they are wilted, or approximately another 3 minutes.

Stir in roma tomatoes and lightly toss in the vegetable mixture for a minute or two. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

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August 1, 2011 · 4:39 pm

Meatless Monday: Supergreen Pesto Hummus Pumpernickel Crostinis

In the warmer months, pesto reigns king among spreads and sauces. Light and fresh, an almond and parsley-studded smear is ideal for imbuing bright notes of deliciously herby flavor. Spruce it up with a bit of creamy chickpea hummus though, and you’ll be spooning mouthfuls straight from the jar.

Great as an appetizer or afternoon snack, but even better when brought along for a picnic in the park, pesto hummus is a wonderful condiment to keep around. I spread it over pumpernickle toast, and then topped it with diced mango. As beautiful as the teeny squares looked, I couldn’t help but devour them one after another, not when they were that delicious.

Here’s a quick and easy mid summer snack you can shake up and serve as a hipster alternate to your every day hummus. Pesto meets the traditional hummus. It’s tasty, healthy and fun to serve at a cocktail party to kick off and cool off that summer heat. Here’s the supergreen hummus recipe below!

Recipe: Rina Oh

Supergreen Pesto Hummus

Ingredients

1 pound arugula, blanched and drained

2 cups gazpachio beans cooked and drained

3 garlic cloves, blanched

juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons tahini sauce

2 tablespoons parsley

½ cup almonds

½ teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1 cup olive oil

8 ounces pumpernickel bread

1 mango, diced

Directions

In a food processor or blender, combine arugula, beans, garlic, lemon juice, tahini sauce, parsley with almonds and pulse for about a minute. Slowly add olive oil on low speed until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the arugula hummus over pumpernickel bread and top with a few pieces of diced mango.

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July 25, 2011 · 4:24 pm

Meatless Monday: Summer Tomato Salad

Tomato season just started and if you’re not already out in the markets buying the season’s best local varieties, well it’s about time you got going!

I grabbed these beautiful bright guys at a local market in New Jersey, and grew the fresh herbs at home. You can add your favorite fruit to this tomato salad or simply eat it as it. Either way, it’s a refreshing starter to any weekday dinner.

Recipe: Rina Oh

Summer Tomato Salad
Yields 4 servings as an appetizer
Prep time: approximately 10 minutes

Ingredients
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of pureed apricot
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
½ teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
½ teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
1 pound of fresh cherry tomatoes
1 cup mango, diced
Mint leaves and fresh oregano for garnish

Directions
1. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine yogurt with apricot puree and fresh herbs. Add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Lay yogurt mixture on plate and top with fresh tomatoes, mango dice and finish with fresh herbs.

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July 18, 2011 · 4:14 pm

Meatless Monday: Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Pickled Plums

The most memorable cold soba dishes I’ve come across have played off the juxtaposition of varied textures and flavors.Top them with sweet, fresh fruit for example, and you’ve added a whole new dimension. Top them with sweet, pickled fruit though and you’ve really spiced things up.

Today’s recipe pits spicy chili paste against the sweet and sour jolt of pickled plums, and pairs soft buckwheat noodles with crunchy cucumber slices. The range of ingredients may sound a tad foreign, but that’s no reason to be discouraged, especially not when the result is as tasty as this. Go ahead, give it a try — it’s the perfect balance to these otherwise insufferablly hot summer days.

Pickled plums in cold buckwheat noodles

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients

For the pickled plums

2 cups rice wine vinegar

2 cups water

1 cup pomegranate juice

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup kosher salt

Peel of an orange

8 plums, halved with pit removed

For the cold buckwheat noodles:

4 ounces dry buckwheat noodles

1 tablespoon red chilli paste

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teapoon sugar

1 cup pickled plums, thinly sliced

1 cup seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Place vinegar, water, sugar, salt and juice in a medium saucepot and bring to a roiling boil on the stovetop. Place plums and orange peel in a large container and pour the liquid over fruit. Allow to cool at room temperature, about 2 hours and then refrigerate.

2. Cook buckwheat noodles as per package directions in boiling water and rinse in cold water immediately when they are tender.

3. Bring all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and lightly whisk together.

4. Dress noodles with spicy sauce and stir in sliced plums and cucumbers.

Preparation time: 10 minutes 
Cooking time: 10 minutes

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July 11, 2011 · 4:09 pm

Meatless Monday: Spiced Tofu and Kimchi Tacos

As far as summertime bites go, few other foods hold a candle to tacos. They’re light and airy, and the perfect complement to otherwise hot and heavy afternoons, and depending on your mood you can fill them with anything from fresh avocado and lime to sauteed vegetables and hot sauce. But as satisfying as a duo of stuffed corn tortillas can be (especially when paired with tangy margarita, or two), their most redeeming quality may just be how easy they are to prepare.

When making tacos, I try to pair flavors that accentuate one another. Since tofu benefits from it’s amazing ability to lap up anything it’s cooked with (in this case, a hodge-podge of spices), and kimchi works wonderfully in balancing out puingent spices like cumin and oregano, I brought them together along with creamy avocado and a hint of tangy lime juice, and it was such a satisfying mouthful I had to share.

Recipe: Rina Oh

Spiced Tofu and Kimchi tacos
Yields 12 tacos

Ingredients
1 package of fresh corn tortillas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound extra firm tofu, crumbled
4 jalepeno, diced
1 cup cherry tomato, sliced
2 scallions, sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup Napa cabbage kimchi chopped
Fresh lime juice (optional)

Directions
1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and add tofu and jalapeño in a medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently until jalepeno is tender. Add herbs and spices and cherry tomatoes. Cook for an additional 3 minutes and add soy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Toast corn tortillas and assemble tacos by adding tofu, topped with avocado and kimchi.

This recipe takes less than 15 minutes in preparation and cooking time!

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July 4, 2011 · 3:41 pm

Meatless Monday: Sexy Grilled Fruit Salad

Treat your grill like an outdoor kitchen and you’ll be conjuring up home made recipes with the best seasonal fruits and vegetables in no time. Fruit can go well beyond the cold and raw recipes we’ve all grown accustomed to. It just takes is a bit of experimentation.

In this recipe, I used green tomatoes and cactus for the salsa verde and Chamelon Gaya melon, watermelon and oven roasted beets for the salad.

Recipe: Rina Oh

Sexy Grilled Fruit Salad
Yields 2 servings as an entrée or 4 servings as an appetizer 

Ingredients
1 pound of beets, oven roasted and carved into melon balls
1 Chamelon Gaya melon, seeded and carved into melon balls
1/4 watermelon, carved into melon balls
3.5 ounces of plain goat cheese
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

For the salsa verde
2 pounds green tomatoes, peeled and finely diced
3 cactus leaves, peeled and finely diced
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Roast beets in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately one hour or until tender. Remove from heat, peel skin and set aside.

Place Gaya and watermelon on skewers and drizzle a few drops of olive oil. Repeat steps with beets.

Coarsely chop remaining beets, add basil, olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Form goat cheese into balls.

For the salsa verde, bring all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and place inside a medium skillet over the stovetop on low heat for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Salsa is finished when all the liquid evaporates and tomatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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June 27, 2011 · 1:53 pm

Meatless Monday: California Carrot and Spaghetti

Growing up, your mom must have told you that eating carrots would sharpen your eyesight. And she was right — carrots are packed with loads of vision-healthy vitamin A. But the benefits of Bugs Bunny’s favorite veggie extend well beyond its promises of enhanced eyesight. Carrots just so happen to be rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants and minerals, too.

Sure, the vegetable’s most prolific proponent may have preferred his carrots raw, but chances are it’s only because he never tried them cooked until soft, soaked in creamy almond milk and tossed with spaghetti.

California Carrot and Spaghetti 

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients
1 12 oz package of whole wheat spaghetti, cooked per package directions
1/2 lb. California carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup almond or soy milk
2 tablespoons enoki mushrooms
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large skillet, combine olive oil, carrots, and orange juice, and cook over medium heat until carrots are tender (approximately 20 minutes). Stir in milk and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until milk is reduced by half. Stir in enoki mushrooms after the heat is turned off.

2. In the meantime, cook spaghetti as per package instructions, and then toss lightly in olive oil and carrot sauce. Drizzle a bit of sesame oil if desired, and garnish with parsley and purslane or other seasonal wild weeds!

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June 20, 2011 · 6:39 pm

Meatless Monday: Arugula and Mango Salad with Spicy Pickled Fennel

Have a favorite seasonal vegetable that you think you’ll miss in a couple of months? Try your hand at pickling, and you’ll be able to enjoy it long after the summer ends. Here’s a quick and easy pickled fennel recipe that takes less than 30 minutes in preparation time, plus a tasty salad to showcase it in.

 

Arugula and Mango Salad with Spicy Pickled Fennel
Serves 4 as a starter and 2 as a main course

Ingredients

For the pickled fennel:
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Asian ground red pepper

For the salad:
1 10-ounce bag of baby arugula
1 mango, cubed
1/2 cup pine nuts

For the lemon vinaigrette:
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. For pickled fennel, combine all ingredients except fennel in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Place fennel in a bowl, and pour boiling mixture over it. Allow mixture fennel to cool at room temperature in the pickling liquid and then refrigerate for two hours. Drain before using.

2. For vinaigrette, combine lemon juice and olive oil and whisk together to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. To assemble, dress arugula with vinaigrette, then stir in diced mango, pine nuts, and pickled fennel.

 

 

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June 13, 2011 · 11:20 pm

Meatless Monday: Summer Potato Salad with Strawberry Yogurt Dressing

Recipe: Rina Oh

I made a stop at a local farm in Chester, NJ this past week and picked my own bunch! I also purchased fresh red leaf lettuce, and got inspired to use both in a sweet and savory salad. Here’s to kicking off a healthy summer!

Ingredients:

For the salad:
5 medium Idaho potatoes, diced
2 Kirby cucumbers, peeled and diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 medium mango, diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons mint, finely sliced
1 head red leaf lettuce, ends trimmed
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, halved

For the dressing:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
Pinch of salt
Pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook potatoes until fork tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine strawberry, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper and water in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, cucumbers, celery, mango, 1 tablespoon of the sliced mint, salt and pepper. Stir in Strawberry Yogurt dressing.

4. Serve salad in lettuce leaves. Garnish with the remaining mint.

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June 6, 2011 · 6:43 pm

Meatless Monday: Chilled Adzuki Bean Soup with Fried Kimchi

Soup isn’t just for the wintertime. This chilled bean bowl is loaded with antioxidants and flavor, making it perfect for a healthy weekday lunch or light dinner.

 

Kimchi is a common side dish in Korea, served with just about every meal. The most traditional variety is made with Napa cabbage. In this recipe, it’s fried with immune-boosting enoki mushrooms and purslane, and used to garnish the soup and give it a spicy kick. Kimchi is widely available in supermarkets, but you might have to hit an Asian market to find enoki mushrooms and purslane. White or oyster mushrooms make good substitutes for the enokis, and radish sprouts or watercress can replace the purslane.

Fun fact about adzuki beans: They were first cultivated in Korea around 1000BC.

Chilled Adzuki Bean Soup with Fried Kimchi
Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried adzuki beans
1 cup dried oats
8 cups water
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup Napa cabbage kimchi, drained and dried with paper towels
1/2 cup enoki mushrooms, roots trimmed
1 cup zucchini, diced
3 tablespoons salt for boiling zucchini
1/4 cup purslane greens
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot, and cook onions over medium-high heat until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add water, adzuki beans and oats, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, and cook until beans are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and cool for about an hour, and then for an additional two hours in the refrigerator.

2. Blend chilled soup in batches until smooth.

3. Pour vegetable oil into a wok or deep skillet, about 2 inches deep. Heat to 350 degrees. Fry kimchi until kimchi is crispy and translucent, about 30 seconds. Repeat with mushrooms. Drain on paper towels.

4. In a medium-sized pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook zucchini until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

5. To assemble: Pour adzuki bean base into a bowl and mix in zucchini. Garnish with fried kimchi, mushrooms and greens. Drizzle sesame oil on top.

 

 

 

 

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