Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika

Giada de Laurentiis

6 servings 

   

DRESSING

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

COUSCOUS

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cups (8 ounces) Israeli couscous, sometimes called pearl couscous
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 12 ounces grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or baby heirloom tomatoes of assorted colors, halved
• 4 ounces (about 1 cup) feta, coarsely crumbled or chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup jarred red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¼ tsp Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Cook the couscous, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Mix together the spinach, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, parsley, almonds and mint in a large bowl. Add the couscous and the dressing. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve.

My Notes: Wow, this was so good! Instead of jarred peppers, I used gardeniere. I also used less oil--1/4 cup.

MXF

Smile's Granola

Grub Street

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups raw almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups raw pecans, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Plain Greek yogurt or milk, for serving
• Chopped dried dates, for topping
• Chopped dried figs, for topping
• Fresh berries, for topping

This granola is one of our most popular dishes at the Smile. The trick is to cook it at a low temperature and stir the mixture often so that the oats get evenly crisp and golden. I serve it over Greek yogurt with chopped dried figs and dates, for a hint of North African flavor.

Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, oil, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, and salt and mix well.

Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets in as even a layer as possible.

Bake for 30 minutes, then stir very well. Continue to bake, stirring every 30 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 2 hours total.

Let cool completely; the oats should feel completely dry and crisp. Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

Serve over Greek yogurt or with milk. Top with dates, figs, and fresh berries. Makes about 10 cups.

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Hot Roast Beef Sandwich

Pioneer Woman

Serves 12

• 12 whole Dinner Rolls Or Small Sandwich Buns (I Used Whole Wheat)
• 1 pound Thinly Shaved Roast Beef Or Ham (or Both!)
• 1 pound Cheese (Provolone, Swiss, Mozzarella, Even Cheez Whiz!)
• ¼ cups Mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons Grated Onion (or 1 Tbsp Dried Onion Flakes))
• 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
• 1 Tablespoon Spicy Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Horseradish Mayo Or Straight Prepared Horseradish
• Dash Of Worcestershire
• Optional Dressing Ingredients: Sriracha, Hot Sauce, Dried Onion Flakes Instead Of Fresh, Garlic Powder, Pepper, Etc.)

Prep Time 20 Minutes / Cook Time 20 Minutes 

Slice rolls in half. Mix together mayo, grated onion, poppy seeds, spicy mustard, horseradish, and Worcestershire. Taste it and adjust ingredients however you wish.

To assemble, spread dressing on top and bottom buns. Lay on roast beef or ham, then one or two slices of cheese (I cut them to fit the small buns.) If you’re using Cheez Whiz, spread a layer on the top bun.

Wrap each sandwich in a foil square, and either keep in the fridge or bake right away. To bake the sandwiches, put them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The buns should be slightly crusty and the cheese should be melted.

Homemade Ginger Liqueur

One Kitchen Kinfe

• 2 ounces ginger root, peeled and cut into thin slices (this was about 2 knobs of ginger for me)
• 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 cu white sugar
• 1.5 cu water
• 1.5 cu brandy (don’t buy anything too fancy or expensive for this – I got a perfectly serviceable 750 ml bottle for $12)

1. Make a simple syrup with the ginger and vanilla: place the sliced ginger, vanilla bean, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the ginger softens. Remove from the heat and let cool. Do not strain.

2. In the meantime, pour the brandy into a glass container. Add the orange zest and, when cool, the syrup (with the ginger and vanilla bean still included). Close the glass jar or bottle, shake, and let sit for a day while the flavors meld.

3. Remove the vanilla bean, close the container again, shake and let sit for another day.

4. The next day, strain the mixture through a coffee filter into a glass container for storage. Almost there! Now just let it rest for one more day to let the flavors mellow out. The next day, make the The Perfect Storm.

Fromage Fort

Smitten Kitchen

As I mention above, there are no rules as to how you put this together. Maybe you want more wine, or less. Maybe you want a heavy hand with salt and pepper, or you want the natural flavors of the cheese to shine through. If you’re using a lot of hard cheeses, a pat or two of butter will help smooth things out. Personally, I go easy on the garlic (one tiny clove) because it really blooms as the cheese sits, and I don’t want it to take over, but maybe you would like that. The only thing I think it important to keep in mind is that even a small amount of blue cheese tends to dominate. I used 25% of the weight in blue, and the result was essentially a blue cheese spread. Fortunately, we love them. But if that’s not your thing, limit it to just a small spoonful or a few crumbles.

If you’re curious, my formula this time was one part each of blue, brie, goat cheese and gruyere, a handful of chives and a full cup of wine.

• 1 pound mix leftover cheese, harder cheeses grated, softer ones cut into chunks
• A couple pats of butter, if using mostly firm cheese varieties
• 1 small clove garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 1/2 to 1 cup leftover white wine
• 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary or chives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Blend cheese, butter (if using) and garlic in food processer until combined. Drizzle in wine with the motor running until you get your desired consistency — some like it completely smooth, others prefer chunks. Add herbs, pulsing the machine until just combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fromage fort can be used right away, or kept in the fridge until needed. In the fridge, it will thicken and age a little; the flavors will mingle and deepen.

Braised Short Rib, Stout, and Potato Pot Pies

Martha Stewart

Makes eight mini potpies or one 12-inch potpie / Serves 8

FILLING:
4 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 bottles (12 ounces) stout, preferably Guinness (3 cups)
2 rosemary sprigs
1 pound cipollini onions, peeled

TOPPING:
6 medium russet potatoes (3 1/2 pounds)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Prep Time:  30 minutes / Total Time:  4 hours 30 minutes

Make the filling:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Dredge short ribs in flour, coating all sides. Transfer to a large plate. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, brown short ribs, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a large plate using kitchen tongs.

Reduce heat to medium. Add yellow onion to Dutch oven, and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Return meat to Dutch oven. Add stout and rosemary. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer to oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.

Remove Dutch oven from oven, and add cipollini onions. Braise until meat is tender and onions are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Shred meat using 2 forks. Season with salt and pepper. Divide filling among eight mini (1-cup) pie plates, or transfer to a 12-inch (8-cup) gratin dish.

Make the topping:
Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees. Peel potatoes, and very thinly slice each (preferably on a mandoline). Arrange potatoes over meat to form tight concentric circles, working around the edge and overlapping each potato by three-quarters. Brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes for mini potpies (1 hour for large potpie).

My Notes: Mostly good, although the potatoes up top were sort of just chewy and hard, rather than the texture of scalloped potatoes. It might be better to cook under foil for most of the final cook time. The ribs themselves were delish. I might throw in some kale next time to cut the heaviness.

MXF

Croxetti with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes

Martha Stewart


Serves 8

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
3/4 cup torn fresh basil
3 tablespoons salt-packed capers, preferably Sicilian, rinsed and chopped if large
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound croxetti (savorypantry.com) or other flat pasta, such as maltagliati or pappardelle

Prep Time:  25 minutes / Total Time:  1 hour 5 minutes

Heat garlic in oil in a saucepan over low heat until pale gold, about 10 minutes. Strain; reserve oil and garlic. Let cool.

Combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, the capers, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil and chips over tomato mixture. Marinate, covered, tossing occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Add warm pasta to bowl, and toss gently. Top with remaining 1/2 cup basil. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest.