Dairy-Free, Quick, Summer, Weeknight Dinner

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Summer Squash

June 4, 2017 Sam

Though it says butter, I made this with non-dairy ingredients in 2021 and it was still a great, simple recipe. I served it with a spinach-strawberry salad and the two went well together.

Print Recipe

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Summer Squash

Relatively quick summer meal

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Inspired by Blue Apron

Servings: servings

Calories: 580kcal

Ingredients

2 large eggs
10 oz gnocchi
1 large lemon
1 large yellow summer squash
1 bunch parsley small
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp vegan sour cream
¼ cup almonds
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat 1" water in a large saucepot on high with a steamer basket inside. Once boiling, add the eggs and cook for 9 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. (Do not put on ice.) Pour out water, rinse the pot and refill with salted water. Heat to boiling on high. When eggs are cool enough to handle, carefully peel the cooked eggs.
While the eggs cook, prep the remaining ingredients. Medium dice the squash, roughly chop the almonds, quarter the lemon, and roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.
In a medium nonstick pan, heat the butter on medium-high until melted. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 to 30 seconds, or until the butter foams. Once the foam subsides, continue cooking, stirring occasionally and swirling the pan, 2 to 3 minutes, or until deep golden brown and nuttily fragrant. Be careful not to overcook, as the butter can burn easily.
Add the squash to the pan of browned butter; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the almonds; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the almonds are fragrant. Add the juice of 2 lemon wedges and stir to combine.
While the almonds cook, add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water. Cook until the gnocchi float to the top of the pot (3-5 minutes). Drain thoroughly.
Add the cooked gnocchi and vegan sour cream to the pan of squash and almonds. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously to coat the gnocchi, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished gnocchi between 2 dishes. Top with the peeled eggs cut in half. Garnish with the parsley.

Notes

Serves two.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Summer Squash

Amount Per Serving

Calories 580 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 186mg62%

Sodium 1900mg83%

Potassium 855mg24%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 3541IU71%

Vitamin C 94mg114%

Calcium 182mg18%

Iron 9mg50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dry Beans, Side

Best Smooth Hummus

June 3, 2017 Sam

This hummus recipe is a lot of work compared to a blend-and-serve recipe, but it’s absolutely worth it for the smoothest, best hummus you’ve maybe ever had.

Make sure to read the steps and ingredients in advance!

Print Recipe

Best Smooth Hummus

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 329kcal

Equipment

Dutch oven
Small food processor
Large food processor

Ingredients

For Lemon-Tahini Paste:

1 whole head garlic broken into individual unpeeled cloves (about 20 cloves)
160 ml fresh juice from 3 to 4 lemons
½ teaspoon ground cumin
300 g tahini paste

For Hummus:

225 g dried chickpeas
1 tsp baking soda divided
1 small onion split in half
1 small stalk celery
1 small carrot
2 medium cloves garlic
2 bay leaves

For Serving:

Extra-virgin olive oil for serving
Za’atar paprika, whole warmed chickpeas, and/or chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Instructions

For Chickpeas:

Combine the ½ pound of dried chickpeas and 1 tsp baking soda in a large dutch oven and cover with 2 quarts water. Stir to dissolve baking soda.
225 g dried chickpeas, 1 tsp baking soda
For the next steps, add these ingredients as you prep them. Peel and split the onion in half. Clean and cut the celery stalk into a few very large chunks. Clean and peel the carrot, and then cut into a few very large chunks. Add the 2 garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves to a spice bag.
1 small onion, 1 small stalk celery, 1 small carrot, 2 medium cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves
Pre-heat the oven to 275ºF.
Heat the dutch oven on high, with cover on, until it is rapidly boiling. Place in the oven and set a timer for 60 minutes. Check to make sure the water hasn’t cooked down too much, and that the beans are expanding and softening. You will likely need to cook for 2 to 3 hours, so keep checking every 30 minutes. When done, the beans should be completely tender, to the point of falling apart. The beans must be fully submerged at all times. If they’re not, add some warm water.

For Lemon-Tahini Paste:

While that cooks, make the lemon-tahini paste. Break the head of garlic into cloves, but leave the skin on. Juice the lemons until you have ⅔ cup (160 ml) lemon juice. Combine the cloves and lemon juice in a small food processor. Pulse until a pulpy puree is formed, about 15 short pulses. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Press out as much liquid as you can with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula, then discard the solids.
1 whole head garlic, 160 ml fresh juice
Add ½ tsp cumin and 1 cup (300g) tahini paste to the lemon/garlic juice and whisk to combine. The mixture will seize up and turn pasty. Add very cold water a few tablespoons at a time, whisking in between each addition, until a smooth, light sauce is formed. The tahini sauce should very slowly lose its shape if you let ribbons of it drop from the whisk into the bowl. Season with a little bit of salt and mix. Refrigerate until the beans are done.
½ teaspoon ground cumin, 300 g tahini paste

Back to the Chickpeas:

When done, discard the onion halves, celery, carrot, garlic and bay leaves. Reserving the cooking liquid, transfer the chickpeas, while still warm, to a large food processor with just a tiny bit of the cooking liquid.
The total processing time should be about 2 minutes. While processing, you may want to stop to use a spatula to move the ingredients down and around. You also may want to add some of the cooking liquid.
Transfer hot chickpea mixture to a large bowl. Whisk in tahini sauce. Whisk in salt to taste. Transfer to a sealed container and allow to cool to room temperature. It should thicken up until it can hold its shape when spooned onto a plate.
Serve hummus on a wide, shallow plate, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar, paprika, whole warm chickpeas, and/or chopped parsley. Leftover hummus can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Extra-virgin olive oil, Za’atar

Notes

Makes about 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Best Smooth Hummus

Amount Per Serving

Calories 329 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 157mg7%

Potassium 441mg13%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 48IU1%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 85mg9%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Favorites, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker, Spring, Summer, Winter

Spicy, Flavorful Refried Beans

May 27, 2017 Sam

I’ve been making these for many years, and barely need a recipe anymore. But it’s good to have as a reference, and in case I want to quickly remember a fantastic method for making refried beans.

This version uses a pressure cooker, as there are no downsides to cooking this in a pressure cooker, given you want these beans fully cooked.

Print Recipe

Spicy, Flavorful Refried Beans

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Bean Soaking6

Total Time7 30

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: California, Mexican

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 295kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

1 lb dried beans Mayocoba, Pinto, Black, or other
2 tbsp oregano Mexican Oregano, Epazote, or other
1 medium white onion
6 cloves garlic
1 small jalapeno
1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
6 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Soak the beans in 1.5% salted water for 6-8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.) Drain the beans, rinse quickly.
To the pressure cooker, add the one pound of dried beans. Add 2 quarts water.
Peel and cut the white onion in quarters. To spice sacks, or cheesecloth tied with twine, add two quarters of the onion, 2 tbsp oregano (Mexican, epazote, or Italian), and 3 cloves of garlic. Set the for high pressure for 5-8 minutes (Mayocoba), or 4-6 minutes (Pinto), or 4-6 minutes (Black).
1 lb dried beans, 2 tbsp oregano, 1 medium white onion, 6 cloves garlic
Allow to release pressure for 25 minutes naturally, and then release the rest of the way. Taste for doneness – they need to be creamy and soft, but not overcooked. If they are not done, turn to sauté and boil until done.
While the beans cook, mince the rest of the onion, the jalapeno, and get 1 tbsp of the chipotle in adobo sauce (including one pepper). Mince the garlic. You can combine all of this into a storage container and put in the fridge while the beans cook.
1 medium white onion, 1 small jalapeno, 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
When beans are done, drain the beans, reserve the bean-cooking liquid and discard the spice bags.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the 6 tbsp oil until shimmering. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
6 tbsp vegetable oil
Stir in beans and cook for a few minutes, lowering the heat some. Add ¼ cup of reserved bean-cooking liquid to start. Using bean masher, potato masher, or back of a wooden spoon, smash the beans to form a chunky purée; alternatively, use a stick blender to quickly make a smoother purée. Add more bean cooking liquid if needed, to make it just wet enough to cook down. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Makes about 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Spicy, Flavorful Refried Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 295 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Sodium 32mg1%

Potassium 820mg23%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 134IU3%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 74mg7%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Roasted Vegetables, Rotation, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Chipotle Vegetable & Farro Salad

March 19, 2017 Sam

This is a classic. Farro is used to great effect here. It has its own chewy texture that holds up well against the flavors and textures of the remaining ingredients, principally the roasted, spicy broccoli and sweet potatoes, along with the citrus, cheese, avocado and crunchy chips.

Print Recipe

Chipotle Vegetable & Farro Salad

Farro is the perfect base for this delicious salad.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Farro

Servings: servings

Calories: 680kcal

Ingredients

1 cup farro perlato rinsed
4 small radishes cleaned, ends trimmed and thin-sliced
1 large avocado cubed and spritzed with lime and salt
1 large Cara Cara or blood orange peel and pith sliced off and cubed
2 large limes juiced
1 large Japanese sweet potato peeled and small diced
¾ lb broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-sized florets
½ can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce peppers chopped
4 oz queso fresco crumbled
1 large shallot peeled and minced
½ tbsp agave or honey
2 cups corn chips
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F with a sheet pan on one of the racks. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Add the farro to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 15 to 25 minutes, or until tender. When done, turn off the heat, drain thoroughly and return to pot. Stir in ½ tbsp or so of lime juice and ½ tbsp of olive oil and about ½ tsp of salt plus some freshly ground pepper.
1 cup farro perlato, 2 large limes, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt
While the farro cooks, toss the cubed sweet potato, broccoli florets and the chopped chipotle pepper and sauce, along with about 1½ tbsp of olive oil and ½ tsp salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to the pre-heated sheet pan and shake or move around to arrange in a single, even layer. Roast 15 to 25 minutes until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender. Set aside.
1 large Japanese sweet potato, ¾ lb broccoli, ½ can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt
While the vegetables roast, in a bowl, combine the sliced radishes, minced shallot, ½ tbsp agave and about 1 tbsp lime juice. (Use remaining lime juice on the farro or save.) Add ½ tsp salt and mix well. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes.
4 small radishes, 1 large shallot, ½ tbsp agave or honey, 2 large limes
Mix together the cooked farro, roasted vegetables, orange cubes and marinated radishes and shallot (including the liquid). Then gently add the avocado and crumbled cheese. Top with the corn chips when serving.
1 large avocado, 1 large Cara Cara or blood orange, 4 oz queso fresco, 2 cups corn chips

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chipotle Vegetable & Farro Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 680 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 1894mg82%

Potassium 1149mg33%

Carbohydrates 97g32%

Fiber 22g92%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 14260IU285%

Vitamin C 118mg143%

Calcium 316mg32%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Rotation, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Mediterranean Tomato Lima Beans

November 5, 2016 Sam

A classic bean dish that is a great way to show off how wonderful Christmas Lima beans can be.

Consider serving it with one of the following:

Bread
Basmati rice
Saffron quinoa
Bed of arugula

Print Recipe

Mediterranean Tomato Lima Beans

One of the best Christmas Lima dishes ever

Prep Time30

Cook Time2 15

Total Time2 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 358kcal

Equipment

Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

1 lb Christmas Lima beans or large White lima
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vegetable bouillon
4 cloves garlic minced
1 large yellow onion diced
3 small carrots shredded, for about ½ cup
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes (28oz)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ bunch fresh parsley finely minced

Instructions

Don’t soak the beans. I rarely recommend against soaking, but it's the right move here. Pre-heat the oven to 250ºF. Add the 1 lb of dry Christmas lima beans (rinsed) to a Dutch oven. Add 2 quarts of water, 2-3 bay leaves and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a heavy boil with the lid on. Once it is boiling, place in the oven (with the lid on). Check at 30 minutes and then every 15 minutes; the beans should be ready in 45-90 minutes. When you check, you are looking for just fully cooked, creamy beans but also not yet mushy. If it looks dry at any point, you can add boiling water.
1 lb Christmas Lima beans, 2 bay leaves, ½ tsp salt
In the last 5-10 minutes of the beans cooking, prep your ingredients. Mince the 4 cloves garlic. Medium-dice the yellow onion. Shred carrots until you have ½ cup.
4 cloves garlic, 1 large yellow onion, 3 small carrots
When the beans are done, remove any foam that’s on the top, and then strain the beans (while saving at least 1 cup of the bean water). You can reserve the bay leaves with the beans or remove them, and leave the beans in the strainer. Add the vegetable bouillon to 1 cup of the bean water.
1 tsp vegetable bouillon
Turn up the oven to 375ºF. Wipe out the Dutch oven and return to the stovetop and heat to medium. Add about 1 tbsp of olive oil and the chopped onion and let cook and brown a little. Then add the garlic and mix until fragrant. Add the shredded carrot, and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Then add the 2 tbsp tomato paste and stir until fairly aromatic. Now, add the can of tomatoes, the 1 cup vegetable bouillon bean water, the 1 tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tbsp honey, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary, and a dash of nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste too.
1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes (28oz), 1 tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tbsp honey, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary, 1 dash ground nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Stir everything well and bring to a boil (you may want to increase the heat to medium high). Then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, to thicken the sauce some.
Taste the sauce and season with pepper, and more salt (if needed). Add the beans and ¼ cup fresh parsley. Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes, stirring midway through. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to dry it a little.
½ bunch fresh parsley
Serve alone or with one of the suggested bases/sides. You can add some finely shredded Parmesan or a crumbled feta or other salty cheese on top if you'd like.

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Mediterranean Tomato Lima Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 358 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 837mg36%

Potassium 1911mg55%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 19g79%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 4974IU99%

Vitamin C 24mg29%

Calcium 153mg15%

Iron 9mg50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dairy-Free, Side

Saffron Quinoa

November 5, 2016 Sam

Simple and delicious compliment to other dishes, especially Mediterranean Tomato Lima Beans.

Print Recipe

Saffron Quinoa

A perfect, flavorful side

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Quinoa

Servings: servings

Calories: 157kcal

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch saffron about 20 threads
1 cube vegetable bouillon or 1 tsp

Instructions

First, heat just a bit more than 2 cups water in a medium saucepan, until it's fairly warm, but not boiling. Turn off the heat.
Crush the saffron on a plate or non-porous surface, then add to the water and let it steep for 5 minutes. Add the bouillon cube and stir.
Add the 1 cup quinoa and bring to a rapid boil and add a little pepper. Cover and turn the heat to very low. Let this sit for 15 minutes or so, and then stir and check that most of the water has been absorbed. If the qunioa is cooked, but there is some water left, you can leave the lid off and allow moisture to evaporate.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Saffron Quinoa

Amount Per Serving

Calories 157 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 13mg1%

Potassium 239mg7%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 9IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 24mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Quick, Weeknight Dinner

Quinoa Sopes (Corn Cakes)

July 10, 2016 Sam

Print Recipe

Quinoa Sopes (Corn Cakes)

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Quinoa

Servings: servings

Calories: 353kcal

Ingredients

½ cup quinoa
1 lime zested and juiced
2 cups masa harina
2 tbsp olive oil divided
2 tsp salt
2 cups water

Instructions

First, rinse the ½ cup of quinoa. Pour the rinsed quinoa into a medium sauce pot and turn on high. Add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Toast until the water evaporates, you hear crackling sounds, and you start to get a nutty smell. Add 1 cup of water, bring to a heavy boil, and then cover the pot and turn down to low for 15 minutes. Check if done by fluffing with a fork. If it remains uncooked, cover and keep cooking on low. If there is still some water but looks mostly cooked, uncover and keep on low, fluffing every few minutes so the water evaporates. When done, remove from heat and keep covered.
When you’re ready to make the sopes, preheat the oven to 450º.
In the stand mixer, or in the largest bowl you have, mix the cooked quinoa, 2 tsp of olive oil, and the lime zest and lime juice. While the machine is on (or while you continue to mix the ingredients), add 2 tsp of salt, then add the 2 cups of masa harina, and then add the 2 cups of water (slowly, in case you don’t need the full two cups). The batter should hold together well, be a little bit sticky, and well-combined. Make sure it’s flavored right – add a bit more salt if it needs it.
Pre-heat a large, flat skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil and heat on medium heat.
Divide the batter into eight pieces. Form patties of ¼” to ½” thick.
Add the patties (four at a time) to the griddle/skillet. Cook for a few minutes on each side until they brown. Place the patties on a sheet pan, covered in tinfoil or a baking mat.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are firm in the center.

Notes

Makes four servings
Serve with beans and a vegetable

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Quinoa Sopes (Corn Cakes)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1173mg51%

Potassium 287mg8%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 133IU3%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 97mg10%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Seasons, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Winter

Chana Masala

November 24, 2015 Sam

This goes really well with basic Indian rice, which includes bay leaves and cumin seeds for flavoring. Use a basmati rice (1:1.5 ratio of rice to water) in the rice cooker with a pinch of salt, maybe a bay leaf with cumin seeds too.

Print Recipe

Chana Masala

This was inspired by a Rancho Gordo recipe for how to cook Desi Chana.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Soaking Time8

Total Time9 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 353kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Dutch oven
Small food processor
Immersion blender

Ingredients

1 lb desi chana dry beans Rancho Gordo
1 piece bay leaf
1 piece kombu
2 tbsp neutral oil
1-2 red onion sliced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cilantro chopped

Garlic, Ginger and Serrano Paste

3 cloves garlic
1 inch fresh ginger
2 serrano peppers

Spice Powder

1 tsp turmeric powder
3 dried Kashmiri chillies
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp corriander seeds
2 tsp black peppercorn
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fenugreek leaves
⅛ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Soak Beans

Rinse the beans and put into a large bowl. Cover with plenty of water. Add salt and set aside for at least 8 hours. You're aiming for 1% salinty, so you can measure the amount of water you add and add 1% salt (by weight). For example, 1 liter would need 10 grams salt.

Cook Beans

Drain the soaked beans. Add to a pressure cooker along with 1 bay leaf and 1 piece kombu. Add at least 5 cups water so the beans are well-covered with about ½-inch water. Bring to pressure for 25-30 minutes and allow for at least 25 minutes of natural release (or however long it takes to release pressure).
If not cooked once you release the pressure, you can bring to pressure again for another 1 minute and then allow for 10-15 minutes natural pressure release and then check beans again. It will almost certainly be done at that point.

Prepare Masala

Make the dry spice powder. Add all of the ingredients to a small food processor. Blend until you have a find powder. It may need to be then further crushed with a mortar and pestle, to make sure it's smooth. Set aside in a small glass or container and rinse the food processor's blade and bowl.
Make the ginger, garlic and serrano paste. Add the garlic cloves, ginger and serrano peppers to a small food processor and blend into a fine paste. You may need to scrape the sides a few times to get it to blend properly. (Alternatively you can crush or grate the ginger using other methods and finely chop the serrano peppers before combining together.)
Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven. Add the sliced red onions and cook, mostly undisturbed, until softened and browning at the edges. Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger and serrano paste and stir well until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the ground spices and mix well, cooking for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. Avoid scorching or burning the garlic and spices.
Add the can of tomatoes and the 1 tsp sugar. Add salt to taste. Mix well and cook for 10-20 minutes until the sauce has cooked down some and the oil begins to separate. (This is a good time to start to cook rice, if you're serving with rice.)
Blend the sauce using an immersion blender. You can add a bit of the water the beans cooked in if the beans are done and you need more liquid in the sauce.
Once the beans are done, add to the sauce and allow to cook for 5-10 minutes until combined.
Serve topped with chopped cilantro.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chana Masala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Sodium 122mg5%

Potassium 906mg26%

Carbohydrates 54g18%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 263IU5%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 134mg13%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Dinner Party, Favorites, Holiday, Projects, Side

Challah

November 24, 2015 Sam

This is an old classic, from at least 2015, if not even earlier than that. I’ve modified the recipe some, particularly in 2020 when I got very into reading books about baking bread. That’s when I transformed it into the current version.

Holiday, Meat

Cast-Iron Steak

May 11, 2015 Sam

This is part of a special meal that’s a tradition from at least 2014, maybe even earlier. On New Year’s Eve (or sometimes New Year’s Day, plus or minus a day or two), I cook up very nice steaks and serve with twice-baked potatoes and sometimes roasted vegetables, like asparagus. A tannin-heavy red wine is a great friend as well.

I have traditionally liked buying New York Strip, but a Ribeye would also be delicious. If you can, select Prime, but Choice is good if it is what is available. Bone-out is easier to cook in a pan and the bone has little impact on the overall flavor or cooking.

Print Recipe

Cast-Iron Steak

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef, Meat

Servings: servings

Equipment

1 cast-iron skillet, 12"
1 Thermapen

Ingredients

2 steaks at-least 1" thick
Salt and pepper
Canola oil
Butter
Thyme
Shallots

Instructions

As soon as you can (up to 4 days in advance, and at least a few hours before), salt the steaks by covering all sides with a good amount of kosher salt, but not too much. (Some people say to rinse off the salt before cooking but that sounds like a bad idea to me.) Place in the fridge.
About 90 minutes before you're ready to cook the steaks, remove them from the fridge and allow to warm up a bit. This is, according to some science-based food writers, apocryphal, because the internal temperature increases very slowly so the effect is minimal. I still recommend it.
When ready to cook, put the cast-iron on the stove and heat to medium-high. Add canola oil as the pan warms up. Heat for a minute or two, but not too long. Oil should be shimmering but not smoking heavily.
Add the steaks carefully. Flip frequently (every 15 seconds) for up to 4 minutes, until a basic crust begins to form. Turn the heat to medium to start allowing the pan to cool a tiny bit.
Then, add some butter to the pan along with the thyme and shallots. Continue flipping, though less frequently, and use a spoon to baste the meet. If you are seeing lots of smoke, turn the heat further down.
Start checking the temperature after a minute or two of the basting. Remember, the steak will continue to cook off the pan. For medium-rare meat, a final temperature of 130ºF (or 125ºF in the pan) is ideal; for medium, (or 135ºF in the pan) 140ºF is your goal.
Place the steak on a plate or cutting board Let rest for a few minutes.