Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

As some of you may know, I got married this weekend (!!!), and it was very important to me thoroughout the course of wedding planning that I introduce some element of my blog into my nuptial celebration. It's a big part of my identity! So, as cooking is only second to my love all things alliterative, rhyming and witty, I created Kvell in the Kitchen: Wedding Edition. This alter ego has shown herself once before in the Soft Chocolate Almond Cherry Cookies Post, and re-emerges again for an end-of-wedding-night treat featuring Inna Garten's Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts.

There were many contenders vying for the spot of wedding day giveaway, and the criteria was stringent. You had to be a crowd-pleaser (snacky, easy to eat), a perfectly balanced combination of salty, savory and sweet, big-patch perfunctory, and have a name with a pun. Oh, paprika roasted chickpeas? Don't you mean, Two [Chick]Peas in a Pod!? But then, you had to last a week at room temperature too...sorry moldy chickpeas. You were so good when you were fresh.



At some point in this process, I recalled a friend's amazing nut mix; one so tasty it stood out in my mind though I hadn't tasted it for years. It seemed like the type of recipe that had been sustained through generations, but ironically, it was from Food Network! Anyway, these nuts past the test. They are smoky and spicy thanks to a generous smattering of chipotle powder, citrusy-sweet due to maple syrup and fresh orange juice, and fireplace-cozy herbacious thanks to generous fresh rosemary. And they're salty, thanks to, uh, salt.


With such as a spot-on flavor combo I knew I couldn't lose, but they had to pass the storage taste-test, and a batch divided (if I ever write a novel this will be it's title) lived in the freezer, fridge, and at room temperature for a week. I conducted a blind test of each nut (sample size: 4 people) and everyone had the same reaction: they were just as good as on the day they were made, and no one could tell the difference between the three.  I suspect the shelf life is pretty long.




The witty name? Rachel and Adam, nuts about each other! (Also just plain nuts). Enjoy this recipe, it is so relevant as we approach the Fall holiday season. I'll see you again in two weeks after my trip to Croatia, hopefully armed with at least one peka recipe, the signature dish of the Dalmatian Coast.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts (from Barefoot Contessa)
Makes 7.5 cups

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Canola oil

3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)

2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)

2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)

½ cup whole almonds (3 ounces)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder

¼ cup minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided

Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, Canola oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

3. Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a pinch more salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.

4. Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. 5. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Dilled, Crunchy Sweet-Corn Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Consider this recipe to be your formal acknowledgement of summer's nearing end. Yes, the heat and humidity remain as obscene as ever, forcing me to continue my two-shower-a-day regimen to maintain questionable hygiene, even so.  But as the signs of season's closing continue to creep in—brisk mornings, a rapidly receding dusk—I find myself, like clockwork, in an emotional rollercoaster, the same one year after year. There is the part of me looks forward to Fall: this abbreviated glimpse of sought-after gold and bronze and fire red, the one that makes NYC whole again. As rapidly as we escaped for beach and sun, we come scampering back, rejuvenated as we walk the streets, enveloped in a delicious light breeze that only a few weeks prior had been stagnant and stinky, filled with air conditioner drippings.  School starts, Jewish High Holidays commence...Fall is good. But Fall is so short, and it so quickly divulges into winter, where we will be once again swooning for—

—summer! The other half of me is hysterical at the prospect of leaving you, your carefree swagger and beautiful bounty. That's what I'm going to miss the most, I realize. Not the 9pm sunsets, the summer Fridays, the inherent calm. My copious seasonal produce is going to leave me, and for that, I must mourn.

But as for all types of mournings (even those as trivial as this), one most confront the grief head on, which is why I will acknowledge the end of this beautiful season with a feast of summation. I will send off summer with this Dilled, Crunchy Sweet-Corn Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, boasting an entire ingredient list that can be found at the farmers market, right now. It's the kind of dish that makes summer food so special: clean, light, and easy; pure goodness thanks to ingredients so fresh. It is a salad meant to be devoured; the satisfying crunch of corn, cucumber and pepper against a backdrop of milk and tang. Dill—the freshest tasting of all herbs, I would argue—is paired with ample parsley, and briny feta is the cherry on top. Your past three months are contained inside this salad.

Before buying buttermilk, see if you have the ingredients to make your own: 1 tablespoon of lemon juice stirred into 1 cup regular milk makes a two-second DIY version, complete with the requisite acidity.  This salad will keep for a week; the dressing does get a little runny but it didn't bother me at all, I was ready to drink it. (You can also just keep it separate). I also halved the olive oil, the recipe just needs a touch. After eating a whole batch for a week, I feel ready to say farewell to summer with bittersweet certainty. Catch ya next time!

Dilled, Crunchy Sweet-Corn Salad with Buttermilk Dressing (from Food52)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the salad:

1 clove shallot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

3 ears of fresh, uncooked corn*, the kernels scraped from the cobs with a sharp knife (about 2¾ c)

4 Persian or 8 kirby cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½ inch dice

1 long red sweet pepper, seeded, ribs removed and diced

1 small handfull fresh dill (about 4 smallish sprigs), minced

¼ c minced fresh parsley

Crumbled Feta cheese, as a garnish

For the dressing:

¼ c buttermilk

2/3 c plain European style thin yogurt, stirred (Greek is OK too)

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

3 Tbsp minced Vidalia or other sweet onion

1 small clove garlic, minced and mashed with a pinch of salt

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

*You can also cook the corn if you prefer.

Directions:

1. Salt the shallot slices in ½ tsp salt and allow to sit about 20 minutes to draw out any harshness (optional, I did not do this). Rinse well with water and pat dry with a paper towel.

2.  In a large bowl toss the corn kernels lightly to separate them, add the shallot and the remaining salad ingredients and toss again to combine. In a smaller bowl combine the buttermilk, vinegar, onion, yogurt, and garlic and whisk to combine. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking, until amalgamated.

3.  Season with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Serve the salad slightly chilled, garnished with the feta cheese. Pass the dressing separately.

Grilled Halibut Tacos with Watermelon Salsa

When I first saw the recipe photos for Grilled Halibut Tacos with Watermelon Salsa, I was overcome with emotion—of raging jealousy. What do we have here...the Michelangelo of tacos? Art that uses food as a medium, eh? How many hours did this blogger spent meticulously food styling the dish, from the garnish of tiny edible flowers (really) to the perfectly crisped, U-shaped tortilla edges (never been able to accomplish that without a finger in the photo) to the rustic, charred-chic (if that could be a thing) backdrop. Uh uh, I decided as I stared, mesmerized, at the salsa's beautiful warm coral, freesia and cantaloupe hues. These tacos are not real. They are meant to be stared at and ruminated over, a Rembrant of aesthetic pleasure and thought.  A work of such caliber of beauty cannot also bring pleasure to the tongue. Then I read the ingredients, and thought: ok, these actually look like they would taste really good.

Still grumbling, I set out to make them, waiting for my watermelon to dissolve from flawless cubes into pulpy mush, dampening my not-so-perfectly charred tortillas into flaccid rounds. As I sliced and diced, preoccupied with figuring out how I would explain why my tacos bore so little resemblance to the ravishing originals, I hardly had time to notice the end result. My tacos were beautiful! They were Rembrant tacos, Michelangelo tacos, a visual rainbow of color—and they were tasty AF.

The watermelon was the perfect conduit to temper the bite of the chili, onion, cilantro and chives, and its inherent sweetness soaked up the tangy lime and salt effortlessly. The fish, mild but firm, ensured texture variety within each corn tortilla. Cilantro, radishes, and avocado line the serving platter not only for aesthetics—it also allows guests to pick and choose their garnishes as they please.

As quickly as it had come upon me, my jealousy washed away—jealousy is a wasted emotion, after all. I ate the tacos on my roof, watching the sunset fade into the Hudson, with an easy salad of greens, corn, avocado, and cucumber tossed in nothing more than a little lemon juice and olive oil. As dusk settled and the sun was no more than a sliver of pink behind the clouds, I took a moment to reflect on the intense satisfaction of both my eyes and appetite. Once more, I changed my tune: food doesn't have to be beautiful, but when it pleases more than one of the senses, it feels almost indulgent; a rare, secret treat.  If only I had known earlier that the secret to happiness lies in watermelon tacos!

I want to take a second to talk about feedfeed, the site where this recipe hails from. Simply put, feedfeed is a network that connects people who love to cook. The content on their site, organized into various "feeds"such as recipes, community, and videos, is designed to fuel conversation and inspiration amongst likeminded foodies from around the globe. The founders are wholehearted supporters of local and sustainable eating. My favorite part? Their commitment to GrowNYC: feedfeed has a special feed just for meals cooked with NYC greenmarket ingredients.

Grilled Halibut Tacos with Watermelon Salsa (from Heather Christo)

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

Tacos

1 pound halibut (any white, firm, not-too-fishy fish will do)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 lime, zest and juice

1 serrano/jalapeno chili (halve or omit if you are sensitive to heat)

kosher salt

Watermelon Salsa

2 cups seedless watermelon, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ white onion, small diced

1 serrano/ jalapeno chili, finely diced

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chives (optional)

juice of 1 lime

kosher salt

9 to 12 corn tortillas, or 3 per person (Trader Joe's 100% corn tortillas are my favorite)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Garnishes

Avocado slices, radish slices, cilantro sprigs, queso fresco/crumbed feta cheese

Directions:

1. Place the fish in a dish. In a small bowl, combine the oil, lime zest and juice and then grate the chili into the bowl. Mix well and then spoon over the fish. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and let sit in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
2. While the fish is marinating, make the watermelon salsa. In a medium bowl, combine the watermelon, cherry tomatoes, onion, chili, and fresh cilantro and chives. Squeeze the lime over the salsa and gently toss. Season to taste with kosher salt.
3. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the fish on a piece of foil and place onto the BBQ. Cook 3 -5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish. You want it to be just cooked through. When you are done set the fish aside and turn the grill to low heat. (Alternatively, you can cook fish on a stove top for the same amount of time, or in the oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes).
4. Let the fish rest for a minute while you spread the vegetable oil over the tortillas evenly and grill each one briefly over low heat until it is barely charred at the edges and hot, soft and pliable. (Or, use my foolproof stovetop tortilla-warming method). 
5. Season the fish with a little extra kosher salt. Divide the fish between the tortillas and top each generously with the watermelon salsa and garnishes of your choice. 

Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad

Is there anything more glorious than preparing a meal on a summer evening at a beach house? I feel like I could write a Haiku about this.  Sand running through your fingers, backdrop of crashing waves as you discuss tonight’s dinner menu with companions. Noticing your salty, sun-kissed skin on the way to the farm stand for vegetables. On to the fishmonger for catch of the day—it will be grilled, of course.  Back at the house, on the deck. Glass of rose in hand. Running to the garden barefoot for fresh basil and mint.  I should shower! You say. Nobody showers. Somebody makes guacamole. Opens another bottle of wine. Dinner served long after the sun disappears in a haze of brilliant hues. The air has a chill, grab a sweatshirt. Stare up at the stars. The languid day is infinite. You feel the happiest, and most content, you ever feel. This is summer.

 

I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing this type of beach house living the past two weekends on the East End of Long Island— where, to my delight, I witnessed the comestible shift the local farming community has made on the region. Of course, traditional New England summer fare like lobster, mayonnaise, buttery potato buns, coleslaw, and corn remained prolific.  But seeping through the culinary seams was produce—fresh, abundant produce!—thanks to a strong agriculture community and a more health-conscious, sustainable-minded population.

 

Propelled by its maritime climate, the 400-year-old East End agricultural industry sees revenues of over 1 billion dollars a year, and the signature “Grown on Long Island” label emanates reverence and pride. The value on produce is omnipresent. Farm stands and cultivated fields dot the roads.  The source of a vegetable accoutrement mentioned proudly on a restaurant menu. Caravan, a take-out shop in Amagansett, offering a weekly list of prepared meals driven by what’s available at the surrounding farms.

 

As a self-proclaimed vegivore (who, during the latter weekend, happened to also be accompanied by a vegetarian), I was thrilled at the emphasis on local produce, fresh salads, and whole grains. But as a member of our eating society, I was simply proud. Is the farm-to-table mindset finally leaving an indelible mark on our culture? Of course, we gravitate towards fresh produce in the summer, because it is prolific and the season is short. But are we finally ready to seize the trend year round? Give picking through wintered greens the same enthusiasm we give to finding dark cherries or powering through a watermelon? I dare to hope.

 

Below is a recipe for Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad, a sensational summer dish filled with seasonal delights. From the farm, tomatoes, radishes, and arugula. From the garden, fresh parsley, basil, mint. From the pantry, a splendid and slick vinegary, lemony, olive oil dressing.  The farro is sweetly nuanced with apple cider and bay leaves; toasted pistachios and shaved Parmesan add a nutty, salty finish.  The salad energetically welcomes a topping of grilled scallops or shrimp, but is wholly satisfactory on its own, too.  In true dietician’s daughter-fashion, I halved the olive oil and doubled the greens, adding baby kale along with arugula and extra tomatoes and radishes. I imagine fresh blueberries, cherries, or diced peaches would work wonderfully in the salad too….and it goes really nicely with a side of corn on the cob. Can I say it again? This is summer. Cherish it while it’s here.  

Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad (adapted from the New York Times)

 Serves 6 dainty eaters, 4 hungry ones

Ingredients:

1 cup farro

1 cup apple cider

1 tsp kosher salt, more as needed

2 bay leaves

3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (slivered rind optional)

½ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

½ cup chopped toasted pistachio nuts

4 cups arugula leaves (baby kale and spinach work too)

1 cup parsley or basil leaves, torn

1 cup mint leaves

1 ½ cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

¾ cup thinly sliced radish

Maldon or other flaky sea salt, for Finishing

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring farro, apple cider, salt, bay leaves and 2 cups water to a simmer. Simmer until farro is tender and liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. If all the liquid evaporates before the farro is done, add a little more water. Let farro cool, then discard bay leaves.

2. In a salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Add farro, cheese and pistachio nuts and mix well. This salad base will keep for up to 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator (bring to room temperature before serving). Just before serving, fold in arugula, herbs, tomatoes, radish and flaky salt to taste.