INGREDIENTS

2 T olive oil

1 basket cherry tomatoes

1 red Hungarian pepper, halved, deseeded and sliced

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 T red harissa paste (or less to taste)

1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 15 oz can chickpeas

Salt, pepper and honey to taste

Homemade or store-bought hummus

Harissa oil for drizzling *see chef’s note

Juice of 1 lemon

Chopped parsley

Pine nuts

Sourdough toast, buttered

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In an ovenproof skillet, combine halved, deseeded and finely sliced Hungarian pepper, onion and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the top and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Shake the pan to combine. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, add the harissa, drained canned tomatoes and chickpeas, including their juice.  Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and add additional S & P and honey if needed. Return the dish to the oven for 25-30 minutes. Roast until the consistency of chickpea mixture is loose but thicken slightly to a jammy consistency.

Remove from the oven, squeeze lemon over the top.

To serve, dollop the hummus on chickpea mixture swirling decoratively. Drizzle a little harissa oil (*Chef’ tip – combine a little olive oil and a bit of harissa and mix well) over the top and add a sprinkling of pine nuts, lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with buttered sourdough toast.

Serves 2 with leftovers

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Ingredients:

¼ C honey

1½ C fresh late season Utah peaches, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 C reduced-fat milk

1 cup water

1/2 C arborio rice

3 T granulated sugar

pinch salt

¾ cup nonfat evaporated milk

1 egg yolk

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 vanilla bean (scraped)

2 t butter

1 T minced fresh basil

Method:

Prepare the peaches: gently warm the honey until it’s pourable but not boiling. Add to chopped peaches and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the rice, water, 1 cup of the milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very tender. You may need to add additional milk if rice seems too stodgy. You’re after a loose creamy texture.

Temper in egg yolk by whisking together the remaining ½ cup milk, evaporated milk, egg yolk and lemon zest until smooth. Add ½ C of the hot rice mixture to the yolk mixture and then slowly stir this mixture back into the hot rice. Add vanilla and cook over low heat until creamy.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the butter and fresh basil. Let the pudding cool and layer with honeyed peaches. Finishing with peaches on top. Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4

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Harissa is a North African condiment made from hot peppers, spices and oil. It is typically used as a condiment or as a base for soups, stews and curries.

INGREDIENTS:

1 t ea cumin seeds and coriander seeds

1/2 t caraway seeds

3 garlic cloves

6 dried pasilla or ancho chilis, stemmed and seeded

2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, coarsely chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 t freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t salt, or to taste

2 T chopped cilantro or mint leaves

METHOD

Place dried peppers in a large bowl or pot and pour boiling water over them. Let them steep about 20 minutes to soften. Drain, reserving liquid. Place hydrated peppers in the food processor.

Dry roast the spices in a pan until they are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, cool and add to food processor. Add all remaining ingredients and process to form a paste while drizzling in olive oil adding a bit of the reserved pepper liquid for the proper consistency.

Store in a jar with a little oil over the top.

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INGREDIENTS

1 # zucchini (about 2 large)

1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper

8 oz Swiss chard, leaves only, finely chopped (reserve stems for another use)

1 C whole milk ricotta (see my recipe for homemade ricotta  https://petitefeastutah.com/blog/2015/07/10/homemade-ricotta-with-grilled-bread-and-tomato-basil-relish/)

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

2 T toasted pine nuts

1 ½ C fresh tomato sauce or high-quality store bought

Parmigiano Reggiano & minced fresh parsley, for serving

METHOD
Slice zucchini lengthwise into ¼-inch planks. Square off the side of zucchini by cutting a thin lengthwise slice off one side; discard. Starting on the trimmed side, cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks, discarding the second end piece. Lay slices flat on a sheet pan and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Let rest until softened. 

Chef’s Tip: Resting time depends on thickness. Avoid slicing too thick or the rolls may be difficult to roll and don’t forget to pat the zucchini slices dry after salting. You’ll want to remove the beads of moisture on the zucchini’s surface before proceeding with the recipe.

In a large oven proof sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add chard, season with salt and pepper, and cook 2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix ricotta, lemon zest, toasted pine nuts, thyme, and ¼ tsp salt. Stir in the cooled chard taking care not to add moisture collected in pan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Wipe out sauté pan and spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in bottom. Place 2 T filling at one end of each zucchini slice, roll tightly, and arrange seam-side down in the pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, top with marinara and a scattering of mozzarella. Bake at 375°F until bubbly and golden, about 10 minutes. Finish with shaved Parmigiano and chopped parsley.

ENJOY!
Serves 2-4 

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INGREDIENTS: 

1 lb. ground turkey breast

1 /2 lb. ground turkey

2 t. kosher salt

1 t. freshly ground pepper

4 1 /2″-thick slices red onion

1 /4 cup homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese

4 buttered hamburger buns, toasted

barbeque mayonnaise recipe below

sliced avocado

METHOD:

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Make spicy mayonnaise: Combine 1 /2 cup mayonnaise, 1 t. red chili sauce, 2 T prepared or homemade barbeque sauce, and juice of half a lime together in a small bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving so flavors can develop.

Prepare Burgers: Combine ground turkey meats, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl, tossing gently with your hands. Shape into four 3 /4″ thick patties. Spray patties with nonstick spray and freeze for 20 minutes. Place cold burgers on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on one side. Flip burgers and top with cheese. Grill to 160°F to 165°F 3–4 more minutes. Remove from grill and let rest while you prepare onions.

Grill onions: Brush onions with barbecue sauce and cook until soft. Turn often, brushing with additional sauce throughout the grilling process.

Turn off the grill and toast buttered buns lightly. Chef’s Tip: This is my go-to method for perfectly toasted burger buns—turning the grill off helps prevent the all-too-common burnt bun situation.

Serve burgers topped with spicy barbeque mayonnaise, onions, and avocado

Serves 4

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CRUST INGREDIENTS:

2 C ground Oreo cookies (about 25)

4 T melted, unsalted butter

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

1 C sugar

¼ C + 2T cornstarch

11/2 C water

Pinch of salt

6 egg yolks – reserve 4 whites for meringue topping

Zest of 1 orange

¼ C juice from 1 orange

¼ C juice from 1 lemon

2 T unsalted butter

MERINGUE INGREDIENTS:

4 reserved egg whites

¼ t cream of tartar

8 T granulated sugar

METHOD:

Prepare crust: Grind Oreos in a food processor into fine crumb. In a medium mixing bowl combine crumbs with melted butter. Carefully pat mixture into an ungreased pie tin taking care to pat the crumbs evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan to make a uniform base. Freeze shell for 20 minutes – this step is not required, but I think it helps reduce slumping in oven. Remove from freezer and place on rimmed, parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.

Prepare the filling:  Mix sugar, water, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly until mixture is thick and translucent. WHILE WHISKING, add egg yolks, both juices and zest.  Bring back to a simmer and add butter. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly and then pour into cooled cookie crust. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the meringue.

Prepare the meringue topping: Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer until frothy.  Add cream of tartar and increase speed to high.  Slowly add granulated sugar 1 T at a time until glossy peaks form.  Spread the meringue decoratively over the top of the filling. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven until meringue is nicely browned and cooked through.

*To prevent weeping, store at room temperature.

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DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

2T buttermilk (sour cream or plain yogurt thinned with water may be substituted)

2T fresh lime juice

1T honey

6T mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)

3T ketchup

1T chipotle chili in adobo, minced (or to taste)

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ t ground cumin

2T olive oil

½ bunch cilantro, minced

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 # boneless skinless chicken breast – poached and shredded

4 C romaine, chopped

1 C grape tomatoes, halved

½ C cheddar cheese, grated

1 C toasted corn tortillas chips,broken into bite size pieces

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed

1 C fresh corn (or substitute defrosted frozen corn)

¼ C scallions, chopped

Garnish with: sour cream, black olives, avocado and additional cilantro

METHOD:

Mix the buttermilk, lime juice, mayonnaise, honey, ketchup, minced chili, garlic and cumin in a small bowl or with an immersion blender until smooth. 

Slowly add the oil in a steady stream and mix until well incorporated. Stir in chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. 

Combine ¼ C dressing with poached and shredded chicken and set aside. Set remaining aside for assembling salad.

Assemble salad:  layer ½ greens in a deep bowl. Then, layer half the grape tomatoes, cheese, tortilla chips, beans, corn, chicken & scallions on top of the romaine. Drizzle with ½ the reserved dressing and repeat layers ending with chicken. Drizzle remaining dressing on top.Garnish olives, sour cream & chopped cilantro. *Any extra dressing keeps refrigerated for up to one week. 

Serves 2 with ample leftovers

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INGREDIENTS:

½ # boneless skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into cubes

Soy dressing for noodles (recipe follows)

Peanut nước chấm (recipe follows)

½ # flat rice noodles – available in the Asian section of most grocery stores

2 T. olive oil

1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into julienne

10 spears asparagus, trimmed and blanched

½ red bell pepper, julienned

1 bunch green onion, cut into 1” lengths

2 C shredded green cabbage (a combination of red and green may be used)

½ C fresh cilantro, chopped

½ C radish, thinly sliced

¼ C fresh mint and basil leaves, rough torn

Garnish: lime wedges and chopped peanuts

METHOD:

Prepare soy noodle dressing and peanut nước chấm dressing and set aside.

Prepare rice noodles according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with soy dressing. Set aside.

Decoratively arrange seasoned noodles, chicken, cucumbers, carrots, green onion, cabbage, cilantro, radish, peppers, asparagus and mint between 2 bowls. Drizzle peanut nước chấm sauce over top and garnish with chopped peanuts, mint and lime wedges.

Soy noodle marinade – Process ¼ C rice vinegar, ¼ C water, 1 T freshly grated ginger, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 t honey, 2 t soy sauce and 1 t Asian fish sauce in blender until smooth.

Peanut nước chấm dressing – Process ½ C peanut butter, 3 T water, 1 T sugar, 2 T soy sauce or fish sauce, 2 T fresh lime juice, 1 T rice wine vinegar, 1 T chili-garlic paste, 2 cloves garlic in blender until smooth.

Serve 2 with leftovers

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INGREDIENTS:

1 T olive oil

½ # shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped

1 T. lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 C half and half

2 whole chipotles, from can, chopped (use less for a milder sauce)

½ C Parmesan cheese, grated + 2 T topping the dish

3 T chopped fresh cilantro

6-8  six inch diameter corn tostadas

Garnish with homemade or high-quality store bought pico de gallo and additional cilantro

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coarsely chop shrimp, then sauté in oil in a large pan over high heat just until firm. Add lime juice and garlic, and cook one minute. season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.  

 In the same skillet, simmer half and half and chipotles until reduced by half (15 minutes). Taste for flavor. Stir in a small amount of adobo sauce from can if a spicier sauce is desired; stir in cheese. Cook until thick (1 minute).

Off heat return cooked shrimp to pan and stir in cilantro.

Add tostadas to the pan in a single layer, breaking them to fit nicely and gently poke them down into the sauce.  Take care to leave a cushion of sauce beneath the first layer of tostadas to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue to add tostadas to make a second layer until you have two more or less complete layers of tostadas and shrimp pieces submerged in the sauce. Sprinkle with a parmesan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until top is browned and tostadas are softened but still retain a bit of bite. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with pico de gallo and fresh cilantro. 

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INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

4 t ground cumin, divided

1 t smoked paprika

1 t curry powder

6 T olive oil, divided

1 C broccoli florets, blanched and well drained

1 clove garlic

½ lemon, juiced

¼ C tahini

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with chopped cilantro and red onion if you like

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the garbanzo beans with the smoked paprika, curry, 2 T cumin and 2 T of the olive oil. Toss to combine and place on one side of the sheet pan.  Pour 1 T of the remaining oil on the opposite side of the pan and place the sweet potatoes (cut side down) on top of the oil. Spread around to coat evenly. Bake for 40 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender and garbanzo beans are nicely browned and crispy. *Shake pan to toss garbanzo beans halfway through cooking to prevent burning.

While potatoes are cooking prepare broccoli tahini sauce. Combine blanched broccoli, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, 2 t cumin and remain olive oil in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste for salt and pepper and set aside.

When potatoes are cooked through carefully remove the flesh and mash lightly with salt and pepper.  Scoop the prepared mash back into the reserved shell and top with roasted garbanzo beans and a generous dollop of the broccoli sauce. Garnish with cilantro and diced red onion if desired.  Enjoy

Serves 2 as an entrée and 4 as a side dish

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