Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli

This dish came about from one my favorite party dips made with roasted red peppers, garlic and cream cheese. Using those flavors to make a tangy, spicy and creamy roasted red pepper sauce worked perfectly with simple cheese ravioli. Apart from being really simple to put together, this dish is so flavorful that it’s almost hard to believe it can be made in under 30 minutes!

1 pound cheese ravioli (I bought fresh ravioli)
1/2 cup cream cheese
4 indian green chillies (this makes the dish spicy. Use 2 serrano peppers or 1 jalapeno to make the dish milder)
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bunch of scallions (green onions) , discard an inch from the bottom including the roots
4 red peppers, fire roasted (you can store bought or roast your own)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cilantro, washed
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp + 1 tsp salt
zest from one lemon
3 tbsps capers, roughly chopped

Pulse blend together garlic, scallions, green chillies and cream cheese. Add 1/2 cup cilantro, cumin powder, 1 tsp salt and roasted red peppers. Blend completely to make a smooth sauce. No extra water is needed since the red peppers tend to render liquid. I like to make my own roasted peppers. I use tongs to hold the peppers with its top stem and roast over a gas flame. Keep turning them evenly until you see evenly charred skin. Let them cool completely. Simply scrape the skin off with a towel, you should be left with a perfectly roasted soft pepper.

Pour the sauce into a skillet and gently warm the sauce over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, 1 tsp salt, zested lemon and chopped capers.

Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 10 minutes. In the meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water over high heat to a rolling boil. Drop the ravioli in the water and cook for 3-5 minutes until done. the ravioli will float to the top when done. Drain the pasta and drop into the simmering sauce.

Serve hot with some fresh bread. Not only is the best part the cheesy ravioli with the tangy sauce, but using the bread to scoop off leftover sauce is simply heavenly.

Garlicky Carrot and Potato stuffed Wontons

This makes a perfect tea time snack and is great served as an appetizer. It’s quite easy to make and needs only a few ingredients. I love working with wonton wrappers because sky is the limit when it comes to options for it’s filling. Here is one of my creations served with a ginger-scallion sauce.

20 wonton wrappers (makes 10)
2 large potatoes, boiled and peeled
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1″ piece ginger, minced
4-6 indian or thai green chillies, minced
3 carrots, peeled and grated
2 tbsps salt
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter

For the sauce:
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce(optional)
3 tbsp  scallions, finely chopped
1 “piece fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp lemon juice

Heat a large skillet and melt butter until golden brown. Add onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies.  Saute for 5 minutes over medium-high until the onions are cooked until translucent, not just brown yet. Add the grated carrots and 1 tbsp salt. Cook for another 6-8 minutes until the carrots are done.

Add cilantro and remove from heat. Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool. Boil potatoes and peel. Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl along with the carrot mixture. Mash together adding the remaining tbsp salt until it comes together like a filling.

Place a tbsp of the filling on a wonton wrapper. Wet the edges of with water. Place another wonton wrapper over it and use a fork to press the edges together immediately so the water helps to stick and seal the edges.

Prepare all of them and set them aside for 20 minutes before frying or steaming. In the mean while mix the soy sauce, sriracha sauce, ginger, lemon juice and scallions in a bowl and set aside. This is the dipping sauce. It is a really versatile sauce that can be used for many other asian inspired dishes.

The filled wonton wrappers can be prepared two ways. I fried half of them and steamed the remaining half.

Heat a wide-deep skillet with canola oil for frying. Keep the heat low and drop in two wontons at a time, fry until golden brown and set aside over a paper towel to drain.

In another pot, fill water about 2-3 inches high and let it come to a gentle boil. Drop in two wontons at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes until the inside is completely warmed and the skin is perfectly soft. Serve with the ginger scallion sauce.

Roasted Beet, Walnut and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese

This is one of my favorite salads. The juicy sweet beets with warm toasted walnuts and the creamy blue cheese is heaven in a plate. You could always use a milder option like goat cheese if you are not a fan of strong cheeses.

You will need :

5 small red beets
1 pound baby spinach, washed and dried
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup blue cheese (substitute: gorgonzola , goat cheese or any other creamy cheese of your choice)

For the Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp dried garlic
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp dried scallions
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Pre heat oven to 375 F.

Wash the beets, sometimes they tend to be a bit muddy on the skin. Wrap the washed beets in aluminum foil, like a package. I had two large beets and three small ones. So I halved the large beets to make sure all the beets are around the same size which will help cook evenly. Place the foil package on a baking tray and put them in the oven. If some beet juices tend to flow out, you dont have a messy oven, they collect on the tray.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. This time might vary depending on the size of the beets. Make sure you check them after 30 minutes. Insert a small knife into the center of the beets and if it goes in easily, they are done. If not, leave them in for another 10-15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down.

Increase the oven temperature to 400F.

In another baking tray, spread the rough chopped walnuts around and place them in the oven for 10 minutes. When roasting nuts, make sure you always have an eye on them, they can easily burn.

Once the beets have cooled, scrub the outside and the skin should peel very easily leaving you with a juicy delicious roasted beet. Chop the beets into bite size (1″) pieces.

In a salad bowl, toss together the baby spinach, roasted walnuts and chopped beets. Be careful as not not over mix or bruise the beets while tossing or your entire salad will be red which is not very appealing.

Dressing:

In a bowl, add the lemon juice. Use of a fork or a small whisk and start whisking the lemon juice. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil and stop when the oil and juice are completely mixed together as a smooth blended liquid. If you dump all the oil all at once over the juice, the two liquids will not mix and you will have an inch of oil floating on top, again, not appealing.

Once you have a well emulsified liquid, add all the herbs, garlic and salt and mix well.

Plate a scoop of the salad, crumble fresh blue cheese on top and drizzle a spoon of the dressing. Serve with any fresh toasted bread.

Radiatore with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Asparagus and Zucchini

This dish is pretty self explanatory! It has a few ingredients, its minimalistic, delicate and delicious.

1 pound radiatore
1 bunch (around 15) fresh asparagus, chopped into 2″ pieces. I found really tender asparagus, So I used most of them with very little thick and tough stem. So check your asparagus to figure out how much of it you can use. You want to discard the bottom 3-4 inches of tough stem.
2 medium sized zucchini, sliced into think rounds
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 dried red chillis or 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes, whatever you have
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp sun dried tomato pesto (I used my favorite store bought brand)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup scallions/green onions , finely chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it and add the pasta. Cook until al dente (around 7 minutes). Reserve a cup of the pasta cooked water. Drain the rest and put the pasta back into the pot with 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and add the garlic. Saute for a few seconds and add the sliced zucchini. Turn the heat on high and spread the zucchini around evenly so the bottom gets roasted and golden brown. Make sure you keep moving them around to avoid the bottom burning and evenly brown all the zucchini pieces. You nose will be in garlic/olive oil heaven by now!

Add the asparagus, sun dried tomato pesto, red chillies and salt. Mix them all well and saute for a minute until the asparagus softens a bit but is still bright green and crisp to the bite. Pour in the rest of the reserved pasta water to scrape any brown bits of yumminess in the bottom of the pan. Let this reduce and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Transfer this mixture to the pasta, toss them together thoroughly and check for seasoning.  Top with scallions and serve.

Farfalle in Dill Carrot Cream Sauce

This dish came from a recipe by Martha Stewart. Her recipe is a Carrot Farfalle salad. I am not a regular follower of Martha Stewart recipes, but this one caught my attention because I love the combination of carrot and herbs. I decided to make it my own by taking it further and making a dinner pasta recipe out of it. My version is farfalle with a garlicky cream sauce infused with the sweetness from the carrots and the lemony dill. I decided to leave the sometimes overpowering basil out and add a mild onion flavor.

1 pound farfalle pasta
3-4 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup baby carrots, shredded
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red chilli powder or cayenne pepper (this is optional or you could use only 1/2 tsp)
1/3 cup scallions, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
zest from 1 lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the shredded carrots to the water and let cook for 7-9 minutes. Drain the carrots and mash them roughly to form a very coarse paste.

Now salt the water and cook the pasta in the same water until al dente (around 8-9 minutes). Drain and set aside.

In a large pot add the cream, dill and garlic and let cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the mashed carrots and mix well. Add in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, let simmer for another 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a pan with olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Saute until they turn soft and translucent, around 4-5 minutes. Remove and transfer into a large bowl. To this add lemon zest, scallions and remaining salt.

Pour in the drained pasta into the bowl, along with the carrot cream dill mixture. Toss to combine, check for seasoning, garnish with more chopped dill if you wish and serve warm.

Potato and Roasted Garlic Soup

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Practical Cooking series featuring Potatoes. Although a lot of the recipes are not vegetarian, I enjoy adapting the concepts to my life and my palette. In this case, roasting the garlic gives the soup a sweet and deep flavor. Combined with soft creamy potatoes this is a great meal served along with any salad and bread you like.

1 large bulb of garlic for roasting (make sure cloves are big and there are at least 12 cloves in the bulb)
1 additional garlic clove, minced
1 large onion, chopped
4 large potatoes, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
4 cups vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup light cream (you can substitute with half and half)
2 tsp canola oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or cayenne pepper (this is optional, you can substitute with ground black pepper)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (this is optional)
1/3 cup scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely shredded

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Brush the entire bulb of garlic (skin on) with canola oil. Place it in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Remove and let cool. When completely cooled, gently squeeze the soft roasted garlic from the skin and set aside.

Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf and onions and stir until the onions begin to soften. Add the potatoes, salt, red chilli powder and stir for 2 minutes. Add in the minced raw garlic and the roasted garlic, mix well with potatoes and pour in the vegetable broth. Bring this to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low or warm, let cool slightly then puree the soup until smooth using a hand blender. (If you don’t have a hand blender, transfer to a regular blender, puree the mixture and transfer back to the cooking pot)

Stir in the cream, scallions and cilantro and heat through over medium heat. Remove from heat stir in lemon juice if you wish and serve warm with croutons or any bread of your choice.

I am entering this dish to the “Winter Treat” Event hosted by Recipe Center

Red Chilli noodles with lemongrass-coconut sauce

I found these red chilli noodles in my market and here is my thai inspired creation with it.

1 pound red chilli noodles
5 garlic cloves, sliced
3″ ginger piece, sliced
2 stalks of lemongrass, Split into half lengthwise
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 red onion, finely sliced lengthwise
1/2 tsp coriander powder
3 thai chilli peppers (substitute with indian green chillies or serrano peppers)
2 tbsp canola oil (peanut oil would be a great substitute)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 bayleaf( fresh or dried)
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the red chilli noodles and cook according to package instructions.

Heat oil in a pan( or a wok if you have one) over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger,chillies, green onions and red onions. Stir fry for a minute managing heat so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the lemon grass, bay leaf and coconut milk and reduce heat to medium. Add the coriander powder, salt and peas. Let simmer for 12 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and the four lemongrass stalks from the sauce.  Add in the cooked noodles to the sauce and let cook on heat for 5 minutes, sprinkled the chopped cilantro and mint, mix well together remove from heat and serve.

I am entering this recipe to the A.W.E.D Thai event hosted by DK’s Culinary bazaar.

I am sending this to Culinarty’s Original Recipes.

Zucchini Gratin

Scrumptious is the word to describe the flavors of this dish. Smear it on some toasted garlic bread and  you’re good to go!

4 zucchinis
2 cups bechamel sauce
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1/4 cup pepper jack cheese

Preheat oven to 450 F

Prepare a classic bechamel sauce. To this sauce add the 1/4 cup cream, garlic, basil, scallions and more salt if needed and let it cook for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir in 1/2 the Parmesan cheese, the swiss and pepper jack cheeses and combine until all the cheese have melted. Set Aside.

Cut the zucchini into half lengthwise. Cut into moon shape pieces about 1/2 inch thick.

Grease a flat cookie sheet or roasting sheet with cooking spray or olive oil and transfer the chopped zucchini onto the cookie sheet. Spread it around evenly so they are not mounded on top of each other. Roast on 450 heat for 10 minutes, or until it turns golden brown.

Reduce the oven heat to 350 F

Grease a baking dish with butter. Add the roasted zucchini into the dish and sprinkle salt as needed. Pour the sauce over the zucchini, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top evenly. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until zucchini is soft and cheese is golden.

Baked Peas with Creamy Tarragon, Pistachio and Yogurt Sauce

I found this exiting new cook book : The Breakaway Cook, by Eric Gower. I am hooked! This baked pea recipe is fantastic! Creamy tarragon spiked yogurt pistachio sauce combined with sweet green peas. It was easy, delicious, and the leftover pistachio dressing is fantastic as salad dressing, as a spread or dip and even spread over bread for a sandwich, Make sure you make double the dressing, just in case! I also realized adding a bit of goat cheese to this dish really helps too, but its optional.

1 pound frozen peas
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup goat cheese (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 500 F.

Put the peas in a cooking pot or a small Dutch oven and gently heat them on the stove until they thaw, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, put the tarragon, scallions, olive oil, yogurt, goat cheese and 1/4 cup of the pistachios into a blender and puree. Gently mix into the peas, add salt and sprinkle the top with extra chopped pistachio. Bake for about 15 minutes – about the time the top will begin to brown. Remove and serve.

The original recipe calls for frozen peas but you could easily use shelled english shelling peas, lima beans or petite sweet peas as alternative. If you can’t find Greek yogurt, strain some plain yogurt through cheese cloth over a bowl for 2 hours to thicken it up and for the extra liquid to drain.

Potato Chips with Blue cheese sauce

Blue Cheese Sauce:

1  cup half and half
1 cup whole milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder ( use paprika for a non-spicy version)
1/2 pound crumbled blue cheese
Chopped chives for garnish – optional

Place the half & half and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. In the meanwhile heat the butter in another medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk/half&half mixture, and continue whisking until thickened. Season with salt and chilli powder. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little extra milk. Serve warm with potato chips for dipping. Optionally can garnish with scallions or chives and cilantro.

Homemade Potato Chips:

6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick slices
Vegetable oil enough for deep frying
Salt

Place the potato slices on a baking sheet between layers of paper towels to make sure they are very dry before frying.Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan until the oil is heated right. The best way to find out when the oil is ready is to dip the handle end of a wooden spoon into the oil.When the oil is reached the correct temperature, it will vigourously start bubbling around the wooden spoon.

Fry the potatoes in small batches until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a brown paper bag or another baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Season with salt immediately.

If not homemade potato chips, make sure you have some very high quality store bought potato chips.