Week of April 5th

Skillet Orzo with Chorizo and Dates

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces dried (cured) Spanish chorizo, casing and ends removed, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups/10 ounces orzo
Salt and black pepper
5 dates (preferably Medjool), pitted and coarsely chopped
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
Torn fresh mint leaves (optional), for serving

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium (about 10-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium until shimmering. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat begins to render and the chorizo starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
Add the orzo, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the dates and 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover (a lid from another pan or aluminum foil works well if your skillet doesn’t have a lid) and cook, undisturbed, until the orzo is al dente and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. If not all of the liquid is completely absorbed once the orzo is al dente, uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to simmer rapidly until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Remove from the heat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the top and stir gently until just combined and starting to melt. Garnish with mint, if using.

Dont be surprised if you end up using 4 or so cups of water and taking closer to 15 minutes to get the orzo to be properly al dente.

Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice

Cook Time: 25 minutes | Servings: Yield 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the pan and drizzling
⅔ cup lime juice (from about 5 limes), and zest of 1 lime
Kosher salt
8 baby bell peppers or 1 medium bell pepper (any color will do), stemmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
Black pepper
1 cup long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati
½ cup full-fat coconut milk
1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon red miso
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons chopped habanero pepper, stem and seeds removed, or 1 tablespoon sambal
2 tablespoons buckwheat honey or molasses
2 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise, 1/4-inch thick
3 cups peppery greens, like arugula, mizuna or baby mustard greens
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly brush a large rimmed sheet pan with oil.
In a small bowl, stir 4 tablespoons lime juice with 1/2 teaspoon salt until salt dissolves. Add the sliced peppers, a few cracks of black pepper and set aside.
In a small pot, combine the rice with 1 cup water and the coconut milk. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low until the rice is just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, until ready to serve.
In a medium bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons lime juice with the peanut butter, miso, ginger, fish sauce (if using), habanero, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon honey and 3/4 cup water. Stir until smooth and season to taste with salt.
Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and season with salt. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over each, covering the top and allowing the sauce to run down and coat the sides. Drizzle the tops with some oil, and roast until glaze is set, deep brown and caramelized along the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Add the remaining lime juice and 1 tablespoon honey to the leftover peanut sauce in the bowl to make the dressing; set aside.
Divide the greens among bowls. Add the lime zest and half the sliced scallions to the rice, then fluff with a fork. Top the greens with the rice, then the tofu. Spoon the peanut dressing over everything, and garnish with the drained pickled peppers and remaining sliced scallions.v

White miso is a lot more common in recipes and I always have a tub in my fridge ready. If you don't already have red miso for some odd reason, just buy white. You'll use it sooner or later. Regular ole honey works well here, but I am planning on sending out my favorite gingerbread cake recipe here before too long, and that calls for molasses.

Ground Turkey, Shiitake and Cashew Lettuce Cups

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons peanut or sunflower oil (or another neutral-tasting oil)
1 pound ground turkey
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, tough stems removed, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
2 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green slices reserved for garnish
2 celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 cup), tender leaves reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cashews
Cold, crisp lettuce leaves, such as iceberg, little gem or butter lettuce
Hoisin sauce, for serving

Directions:
Whisk the wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce and white pepper together in a small bowl or cup; set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Add turkey and, using a wooden spoon or spatula, spread the meat to the edges in an even layer. Let cook until the bottom of the meat is deeply browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Then stir the turkey, breaking up the meat into small pieces.
Stir in the mushrooms and white and light green scallion slices and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan if anything begins to stick, until the mushrooms are glistening and scallions have softened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the reserved sauce, the diced celery and the chopped cashews and cook until celery is warmed and meat is cooked through, about 1 minute. Immediately remove from heat. Taste and add soy sauce and white pepper as needed.
To serve, transfer to a platter and scatter with reserved scallion greens and celery leaves. At the table, smear a small amount of hoisin sauce on a lettuce leaf and fill with a spoonful of the turkey mixture.

If you're wondering about buying sherry just for this recipe, I get it. It does keep for at least a year on the shelf (or I store mine that long). You can sub white wine vinegar, also.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Maple and Stout

Cook Time: 10 to 12 hours | Servings: Yield 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
3 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
3 to 3 ½ pounds chuck roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch chunks
⅓ cup stout beer
⅓ cup maple syrup, preferably dark
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, preferably aged
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
Combine the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, herbs, beef, beer, maple syrup, garlic, onion and garlic powders and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper. Mix well to combine (feel free to use your hands). Cook on low until the meat and vegetables are very tender, 10 to 12 hours, stirring the stew once if possible; this helps the beef and vegetables cook more evenly, but if it’s not possible, it will be fine.
Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. Serve in shallow bowls with the meat, vegetables and some sauce.

Man, beef getting expensive. I almost feel guilty for posting this. Anyway. It's a super quick recipe you can throw together in like 15 min the morning of. Any beer will work.

Crispy Chickpeas with Beef

Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef or other meat
4 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 28-ounce can), drained (reserve 1 cup liquid)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ancho or chipotle chile, soaked, stemmed, seeded and minced; or 1 teaspoon good chile powder
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Minced cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Turn heat to high under a large, deep skillet, and add meat a little at a time, breaking it into small pieces as you do. Stir and break up meat a bit more, then add chickpeas. Keep heat high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until chickpeas begin to brown and pop, 5 to 10 minutes. Don't worry if mixture sticks a bit, but if it begins to scorch, lower heat slightly.
Add cumin, chili or chili powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add reserved cooking liquid, and stir, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, then turn heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until mixture is no longer soupy but not dry.
Stir in olive oil, then taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish if you like, and serve immediately, with rice or pita bread.

I've done both the soaked ancho and chili powder- unless you have anchos you have to get rid of, dont sweat it. Chile powder works fine here.