Garlicky Kale with Toast and Poached Eggs

Ever since my wife had the Boiled Kale with Toast and Poached Egg at Zuni Cafe, it became a standard at our house. Natalie Coughlin tweeted about a Garlic Soup she made which inspired me to change my recipe a bit. This recipe is so simple I was willing and able to make it after completing the California International Marathon earlier in the day.

6 large cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup plus 1 T olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 bunches Kale, center ribs removed
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices crusty bread (I like a sourdough batard)
4 poached eggs
Cheese to grate over finished dish (parmesan, asiago, etc.)

Cook the garlic in the 1/4 cup olive oil over very low heat for 30 minutes or so until soft.

In a large pot, cook the onion in the 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft. Meanwhile, cut the Kale crosswise into 1/4" ribbons. When the onion is soft, add the kale and continue cooking. When the kale has wilted completely, add enough water to cover and cook over low to moderate heat for 30 minutes. Once the garlic is soft, remove from the olive oil and add to the Kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the olive oil.

Toast the bread and place one slice in each of four bowls. Cover with the Kale and some of the broth. Top with a poached egg. Drizzle some of the oil used to cook the garlic over the egg. Grate cheese over the top and serve.

Tuna Pasta

This is a "I don't feel like going to the grocery store, in fact I don't even really feel like cooking" dish.

Mince some onion and saute it in olive oil. Add some minced garlic and red chile flakes. Chop up a can of imported tuna and add it to the pan. Throw in some white wine and let it cook down a bit. Throw in a tablespoon of butter. Cook some spaghetti noodles until almost done. Drain the pasta but reserve some of the pasta water. Add the spaghetti to the tuna. Add some of the pasta water and finish cooking. Toss with some minced parsley and serve.

Stir-fried Shrimp, Kerala Style

This was based on a recipe from Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid's Seductions of Rice cookbook. If I were to make it again, I might cut back on the dried coconut and add some coconut milk. It seemed to need something to make it more saucy.

Stir-fried Shrimp, Kerala Style

1-1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 cups dried grated unsweetened coconut
1 T minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried chile flakes
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 T rice vinegar
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp raw long grain rice
1 tsp minced ginger
1 large minced onion
1 minced anaheim chile

Chop half the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside with the whole shrimp

Combine the coconut, garlic, chile flakes in a bowl. Stir to blend. Add a few tablespoons of water to make a paste. In another small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons water with the vinegar and set aside.

In a heavy pot, heat the oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add the mustard seeds and rice and stir once or twice. Lower the head to medium high and add the ginger, onions and green chile. Cook until the onions are softened, then keep warm over low heat.

Heat an oiled wok over medium heat. Add the coconut mixture and stir for a couple of minutes until the coconut begins changing color. Add the shrimp and stir to coat with the coconut mixture. Add the water and vinegar, raise the heat to medium-high and steam for 3 minutes. Uncover and add the onion mixture. Cook another minute or so until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve with steamed rice.

Fresh Dungeness Crab

Okay, so I didn't cook. I did make a Caesar salad though.

Green Chile Stew

Dos Coyotes is a Southwestern food cafe that opened in Davis back in 1991. One of my favorites is their Green Chile stew. My recipe is adapted from the recipe they have posted on their site.

Green Chile Stew

2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 large Yellow Onion, diced
5 cloves Garlic, minced
2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
1 pound fresh chiles, roasted, seeded and diced (I like a mix of Anaheims and Pasillas)
1 quart Chicken Stock
3 T Olive Oil

Seasoning for Chicken
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

Spice Mix for Stew

2 T Mexican Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1 T Ground Cumin
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes. Mix the chicken seasonings in a large zip-lock bag and add the chicken. Toss to coat the chicken pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces and cook until browned. Remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot along with the onion. Cook, scraping the browned chicken bits from the pan, until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and spice mix and cook another minute or two. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, chiles, broth and chicken to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked through.

We like to eat this topped with creme fraiche and served with steamed flour tortillas.

Winter Squash Pie with Bulgur and Feta

I adapted this recipe from Martha Rose Shulman's Mediterranean Harvest. Butternut squash is roasted then added to an egg, onion, bulgur and feta mixture. The crust is made with a yeasted olive oil dough. The original recipe called for dried mint. I used marjoram and thyme instead. The pie was good but not great; it lacked a little flavor. I would add more feta next time.

Winter Squash Pie with Bulgur and Feta

Butternut Squash (about 2 pounds)
salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
3 T medium bulgur
1/4 cup warm water
1 onion, finely chopped
4 large eggs
4 oz. feta, crumbled
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 recipe Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a small knife and pierce the whole squash in several places. Place in the oven for 30 minutes to soften and make it easier to peel. Remove from the oven, let cool for about 10 minutes, then peel and cut into 1/2" chunks. Place the squash in a baking dish, then toss with 1 T olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the dish with foil and return to the oven to roast for 1 hour. Stir once or twice during roasting. When done, set the squash aside to cool but leave the oven on.

Meanwhile, soften the bulgur in the warm water for about 15 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 T olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl and crumble in the feta. Add the bulgur, onion, squash, marjoram, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

Roll out the pastry dough into a 14-inch round. Fit the dough into a well oiled 10-inch tart pan and pinch a lip around the edge. Scrape the filling into the pie shell and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until firm and beginning to brown. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry (Makes two 14" pie crusts)

2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave for about 5 minutes. Add the egg and olive oil and beat. Mix the flour and salt together then add to the wet ingredients. Work the dough until it comes together in a mass. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until the dough is smooth. This won't take long. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic, and let rise for an hour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for a minute or so. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll out as directed in the recipe.

Achiote Fish and Rice with Black Beans and Plantains

Rick Bayless gets credit for this regular on our dinner list. Mahi Mahi filets are marinated in achiote paste and lime juice; then broiled. The rice is a pilaf with onions, garlic, black beans and fried plantain. The steamed green beans were tossed with the last peppers from the garden (roasted). Both Tess and Lisa say this reminds them of Hawaii. That's because whenever we go someplace tropical for vacation, I take achiote paste in case we find some nice fish to cook.