Cooking Recipes

October 26, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Sundried #Tomato #Goat #Cheese Open-Faced #Sandwich

Sundried Tomato Goat Cheese Open-Faced Sandwich

Sometimes you just need some quick, easy to make comfort food. This recipe is similar to the pesto pizza recipe we posted a few months ago, but uses goat cheese and sundried tomatoes.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 pitas or naan
  • 5.3 oz pesto
  • 6.7 oz goat cheese
  • 2 oz sundried tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Begin by preheating an oven to 450 F, and spreading the pesto over the pita.
    IMG_20141021_202752

  2. Next, crumble the goat cheese on top.IMG_20141021_203247
  3. Finally top with sundried tomatoes.IMG_20141021_203304
  4. Bake the pizza for about 10 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown, and serve!IMG_20141021_205009
October 21, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Fusion #Vegetarian #Chili

Fusion Vegetarian Chili

Since our last fusion recipe was so popular, we wanted to try a #veggie recipe that involved a different kind of fusion.

Chili is one of those dishes that some people feel very strictly about. Most Texans, for example, will tell you there’s no beans in real chili. There are many other places that do it differently though, and this dish is largely about celebrating that.

The base of this dish is mostly a Cincinnati style chili, which you’ll see in some of the atypical spices like cocoa powder (which it turns out is a great thickener), though we modified it slightly with a bourbon whiskey twist to bring out some new flavors. There are some other chili modifications here, too, such as the addition of cornstarch to further thicken the chili. It’s served over spaghetti in the typical Cincinnati fashion.

*Note: One issue we ran into in the tiny kitchen with this recipe is that with only one big pot, it’s difficult to make both the pasta and chili at the same time. We simply made the pasta first, letting the chili warm it up later when serving. If we had a second large pot or pan, though, we definitely recommend using it to finish the pasta at the same time as the chili. Using one pan adds about 10 minutes to the cook time for this recipe.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20-30 minutes *see note*

Total time: 35-45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 12 oz veggie crumbles
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 4 oz bourbon
  • 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp malt vinegar
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp chipotle chili pepper
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 15 oz can kidney beans
  • 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. First do some initial prep work. If you only have one pan for both the chili and pasta, make the spaghetti now. If you have more, begin making it while the chili cooks later. Crush and dice the garlic. Remove the skin from the onion and dice.IMG_20141019_171442
  2. Drain the kidney beans of their liquid, and mix with most of the other ingredients – the tomato sauce, bourbon, chopped tomatoes, balsamic and malt vinegars, chili powder, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, paprika, allspice, hot sauce, and cornstarch.IMG_20141019_171422
  3. Add the oil to a large pot or pan and heat over medium high. Cook the onions until translucent, then add in the garlic and veggie crumbles.IMG_20141019_172026
  4. Cook the mixture just a few minutes until the crumbles begin to brown a bit more and are cooked through.IMG_20141019_172255
  5. Add the bowl of many mixed things into the pan and stir well.IMG_20141019_172359
  6. Once the pan is at a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover with a lid. Let it cook for about 20 minutes. If you have a second pot, this is the point to begin making the spaghetti.IMG_20141019_172605
  7. Remove the lid and stir the chili well. IMG_20141019_174720
  8. To serve, put the spaghetti on a plate, add the chili, then top with the shredded cheddar cheese to finish.IMG_20141019_175138
October 5, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #African #Peanut #Soup

African Peanut Soup

We wanted to try a recipe that was a little bit different, but involved some pleasing flavors we’ve been using recently. You’ve seen our penchant for peanuts (e.g. Peanut Noodles, Peanut Satay to name a few) as well as our proclivity for peppers (e.g. Pad Thai, Saag Paneer for starters). This is an African style peanut soup that has just a hint of heat, some tang from the tomatoes, a bit of sweetness from the sauteed onions and is filling with a bit of rice cooked in the broth towards the end. Hope you enjoy this culinary exploration as much as we did!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes packed in juice
  • 32 oz vegetable broth
  • Pinch chipotle chili pepper
  • Pinch black pepper
  • 1/3 c crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/3 c uncooked rice

Instructions

  1. First do the initial prep work. Crush and dice the garlic. Remove the skin from the onion and dice. Dice the red bell pepper.IMG_20140929_173336
  2. Add the oil to a large pot or pan and heat over medium high.IMG_20140929_174009
  3. Add the red bell pepper and onion to the pan and cook while stirring until the onions begin to start to brown.IMG_20140929_174249
  4. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.IMG_20140929_174720
  5. Add the tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, chili powder and black pepper.IMG_20140929_174851
  6. Stir everything up and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.IMG_20140929_175038
  7. Add the rice and stir it in.IMG_20140929_182155
  8. Cover the pan and continue cooking 15 minutes on low.IMG_20140929_182213
  9. Stir in the peanut butter until everything is well mixed.IMG_20140929_183855
  10. Turn off the heat, ladle the soup into bowls, and serve!IMG_20140929_184213
October 1, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: Jalapeno #Popper #Sandwich

Jalapeno Popper Sandwich

Continuing the sandwich theme from yesterday, we are taking the concept of a jalapeno popper and forming it into a sandwich. The familiar cream cheese and jalapeno flavor is there, surrounded by crunch from crushed tortilla chips, followed by chewy ciabatta bread, and finished with a crispy buttery-fried exterior. It’s an interesting concept taking an appetizer and converting it to a more substantive entree. Even more impressive – these are arguably even easier to make than normal jalapeno poppers!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 jalapenos
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 6 oz tortilla chips
  • 1 lb ciabatta bread loaf
  • 4 oz shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions

  1. Dice the jalapenos and mix with the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl.IMG_20140927_204404
  2. Crush the tortilla chips and then set them aside on a plate.IMG_20140927_204850
  3. Slice the ciabatta loaf into 4 parts, then slice in half to make sandwiches.IMG_20140927_205418
  4. Butter the outsides, top and bottom, of all the bread slices.IMG_20140927_210119
  5. Fill the sandwiches with the jalapeno cream cheese mixture, then top with the tortilla chips, followed by the cheese.IMG_20140927_211046
  6. Close the sandwiches and heat up a pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the sandwiches to the grill.IMG_20140927_211423
  7. After about 2-3 minutes or when the bottom is browned, flip the sandwich and cook another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and both sides are browned.IMG_20140927_211819
  8. Repeat cooking with any remaining sandwiches, and serve!IMG_20140927_212032
September 29, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Caprese #Sandwich

Caprese Sandwich

Insalata caprese (or salad of Capri) is a famous Italian salad of fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil. This combination is famous also in the Margherita pizza – both use the red, white, and green ingredients because they represent the Italian flag. This is a simple recipe for a sandwich using the caprese salad ingredients, lightly grilled to be warm but not so much that it causes the fresh ingredients to get cooked like you might see in the Margherita.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella balls, cherry-sized (ciliegine)
  • 4 basil sprigs
  • 4 hamburger rolls
  • Balsamic vinegar to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the tomato in to 4 parts.IMG_20140924_003643
  2. Open the sandwiches, and put the tomato slices on to the top half of each bun.IMG_20140924_004129
  3. Top the tomato with the mozzarella.IMG_20140924_004148
  4. Remove the leaves from the basil, and place on top of the mozzarella.IMG_20140924_004623
  5. Cover the basil with the bottom bun. You should be left with a fully formed upside-down sandwich.IMG_20140924_004724
  6. Heat a pan on medium-high and place the upside-down sandwiches onto the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until top bun is crispy.IMG_20140924_004954
  7. Carefully flip the sandwiches right-side up and cook another 2 minutes or until bottom bun is crispy.IMG_20140924_005326
  8. Put the sandwiches onto a plate. Remove the top bun and pour balsamic vinegar as desired. Replace the bun and eat!IMG_20140924_005458
September 28, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Blackened #Salmon #Sandwich

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Continuing the #avocado theme, here is a recipe that uses a simple avocado-based sandwich spread. The salmon has a bit of Cajun flair that adds a hint of heat, as well as a peppery sharp arugula (or rocket for those of you not from the US).

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 haas avocado
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 8 oz salmon, skin on
  • 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 4 hamburger rolls
  • 1 oz arugula
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1/2 medium red onion

Instructions

  1. Take the avocado half and spoon over the mayonnaise into a bowl. Mash it together with a fork.IMG_20140921_202817
  2. Slice the tomato and onion into 4 parts for each of the sandwiches, then set aside.IMG_20140921_202837
  3. Toast the buns on both sides over medium for 1-2 minutes on each side, then set them aside.IMG_20140921_203445
  4. Cut the salmon into 4 pieces, then pat them all dry.IMG_20140921_204011
  5. Rub each salmon fillet with the Cajun seasoning thoroughly. Heat the the pan over medium-high, then add the salmon skin-side down.IMG_20140921_205056
  6. Cook the salmon for 5-7 minutes with the skin side down. The skin should get crispy, and it should be easy to use a spatula to move. Flip the salmon and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the salmon is cooked, being careful not to overcook.IMG_20140921_205839
  7. Spread the avocado mash onto the buns, and add the salmon, arugula, tomato and onion slices.IMG_20140921_205929
  8. Close the sandwich and serve!IMG_20140921_210016
September 27, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Guacamole

Guacamole

One of the first recipes many people learn is how to make guacamole. There’s a good reason for that – it’s very simple, pretty healthy, and tastes great. Not many recipes can claim that trifecta.

Using the tips preparing avocados we’ve recently mentioned you will have the base for a great version. We reduced the quantities here so that it is an amount comfortable for 2 people, though you could make a larger batch and serve more people at a time (and avoid storing parts of fruits or vegetables that get left over). One other great feature of this recipe is it doesn’t require any special equipment beyond a fork, a knife, and a bowl.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1.5 haas avocados
  • 1 tbsp lemon/lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 jalapeno pepper
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1/4 medium white onion

Instructions

  1. Halve the avocados, then twist to remove the seed.IMG_20140923_235421
  2. Mash the avocado in a mixing bowl with a fork or other utensil.IMG_20140921_192058
  3. Add the lemon or lime juice to the bowl and mix.IMG_20140921_192345
  4. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper to the bowl and mix.IMG_20140921_192559
  5. Mince the garlic, then add to the bowl.IMG_20140921_193431
  6. Mince the jalapeno pepper, then add to the bowl.IMG_20140921_193601
  7. Deseed the tomato, then chop and add to the bowl.IMG_20140921_194113
  8. Dice the onion and add to the bowl.IMG_20140921_194437
  9. Mix the guacamole well together, then serve with tortilla chips.IMG_20140921_194716
September 24, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Breakfast #Burritos

Breakfast Burritos

As it sometimes happens, you have a bunch of ingredients left over and need to figure out a way to turn those things into dinner. That was recently the case for us at Nowcado. The way we solved it? Breakfast burritos!

The recipe was pretty simple. We fried up some french fries extra long to make them crispy like hash-browns might be, cooked some eggs with several spices, then wrapped it all in a grilled tortilla. Really easy to make, a great use of leftover ingredients, filling, and it tasted pretty good, too! In fact, we even managed to make it entirely in one pan, which is great for our small kitchen.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 medium tortillas
  • 4-6 eggs
  • 1 batch frozen french fries
  • 4 c peanut oil
  • 4-6 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Begin boiling the oil until a drop of water sizzles. Cook the fries in the oil for longer than you would normally (6-8 minutes) – we want to get a hash-brown like consistency.IMG_20140917_200926
  2. Remove the fries and drain on a paper towel, then reserve most of the remaining oil for future use, leaving a little in the pan for the eggs.IMG_20140917_203219
  3. Crack the eggs and scramble mixed with all of the spices (chili flakes, oregano, cayenne and black pepper, and salt).IMG_20140917_203257
  4. Heating the pan back up with the oil, then fry the egg over medium heat for a few minutes until done.IMG_20140917_203547
  5. Remove the cooked eggs and set aside. Lightly cook the tortillas in the pan on both sides, about a minute per side. You just want to get them hot and only slightly crisped.IMG_20140917_203945
  6. Last, assemble the burritos. Put the eggs and fries inside, then roll up. We actually doubled the fry recipe to have additional fries to eat on the side.IMG_20140917_204332 Optionally serve with hot sauce.
September 21, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #Linguine with #Fresh #Puttanesca #Sauce

Linguine Alla Puttanesca

#Pasta with #tomatoes, #capers, #olives, #anchovies, and #basil is a treat when using fresh vegetables. We’re enjoying the last days of summer where some of these items are still in season. In case you haven’t already, check out Nowcado to find them fresh near you while you still can!

*Note: For this recipe, if your olives are not already pitted, the process of pitting can add a lot of time to the prep time estimate. If your capers are packed in sea salt, be sure to rinse it off before using.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb linguine
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 red chili (adjust variety to your desired heat level)
  • 2 oz anchovies in oil
  • 7 oz nicoise olives, pitted (see note*)
  • 2 oz capers (see note*)
  • 9 oz cherry tomatoes
  • 5-6 sprigs basil
  • Salt and pepper as needed

Instructions

  1. Begin boiling water for the pasta with a bit of salt and about 1 tsp of olive oil.
  2. Meanwhile, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the chili, setting aside in a bowl with a hint of salt (careful – this dish is already pretty salty!) and some pepper.IMG_20140916_182835
  3. Dice the tomatoes and cut the olives in half and put in a different bowl. Add the capers to this bowl.IMG_20140916_193932
  4. Roll the anchovies up together and roughly chop, reserving the oil they were stored in, then set the anchovies aside.IMG_20140916_194224
  5. Roll the basil up and roughly chop, setting the chopped leaves aside.IMG_20140916_194707
  6. The water should be boiling by now, so drop the pasta in and let it cook. Keep an eye on it and stir every few minutes until it is al dente (for dry pasta, this should be in about 8-10 minutes).
  7. Meanwhile, heat up a pot over high heat with a mixture of all the reserved oil from the anchovies and about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once a splash of water sizzles, dump the contents of the first bowl with onion, garlic and chili in. Let it cook for about 60 seconds or until the onions are translucent and tomatoes just begin breaking down.IMG_20140916_195700
  8. Add in the second bowl with the tomatoes, olives, and capers. Cook another 60 seconds.IMG_20140916_195835
  9. Add the chopped anchovies and cook about 30 more seconds or until the anchovies start to dissolve into the sauce.IMG_20140916_200054
  10. Add the basil and stir, then taste to see if additional pepper is needed. Continue cooking until basil wilts and the liquid in the tomatoes has broken down to produce some liquid in your sauce.IMG_20140916_200219
  11. Take off the heat, and add another 1 tsp of olive oil to the sauce to thoroughly coat it.IMG_20140916_200411
  12. The pasta should be done now. Drain most of its water but retain a little bit. We did this by pouring the pot out over the sink with a cover and letting it almost completely (but not entirely) drain out. Return the pasta to the pan (or if you did like we did, simply put the pan back down over a burner that is off) and add the last teaspoon of oil. Mix it well to create an emulsion so that the sauce will better stick to the pasta.IMG_20140916_200734
  13. Add the pasta to plates and serve topped with the sauce.IMG_20140916_201258
September 19, 2014

Tiny #Kitchen, #Culinary Mission: #BeerBattered #FishAndChips

Beer-Battered #FishNChips

Recipe by Nowcado Team

IMG_20140914_215831

Now that we’ve gone over all the components, its finally time to make our beer-battered fish with side of french fries!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Cooking Directions

  1. Cut up your fish into suitable fillets. The smaller they are, the more batter will be used to cover the surfaces.
  2. Completely coat the fish in rice flour, keeping them on a cutting board or other clean surface.IMG_20140912_215419
  3. Coat the floured fish in the beer batter.  This is where it’ll get really messy if you haven’t got a decent-sized board.IMG_20140912_220655
  4. Pour the oil into a pan (enough to cover the bottom well) and heat on high until a drop of water sizzles.
  5. Carefully place each batter-covered fish into the pan and fry for 2 minutes or until golden-brown.  Then flip each piece and fry for another 2 minutes or when golden-brown.IMG_20140912_221137
  6. Remove the fish with a spatula and keep on a plate.IMG_20140914_214536
  7. Carefully dump the fries into the pan (you may need to use a bowl to avoid splattering hot oil everywhere).  Spread the fries out so they are all mostly submerged.  You may not be able to fry it all at once.  Fry for about 4 minutes.
  8. That’s it!  Divide and plate the fries with the fish.  Top with the tartar sauce, and you can top your fries with more malt vinegar and salt if you like.IMG_20140914_215347