Authors: Tanya Steel

The Epicurious Cookbook (28 page)

BOOK: The Epicurious Cookbook

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1.
Combine the mango, tomato, onions, lime juice, and jalapeño in a bowl.

2.
Stir in the diced avocado and season to taste with salt and pepper.

“This recipe is amazing. I have used it with tilapia, grilled salmon, as a filling for veggie spring rolls, and as an appetizer with chips. Each time it has been a hit!”

Thorpc, Chicago, Illinois

guacamole
with fresh corn and chipotle

Add a chipotle chile for a subtle kick to this chunky guacamole, then serve it with multicolored corn tortilla chips for a stunning platter. Double the recipe if you plan to serve a crowd.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

2 large ripe avocados (about 1½ pounds), halved, pitted, and peeled

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 ear of corn (raw or cooked)

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced

2 green onions, chopped

1 chipotle chile from a can, finely chopped

¼ cup sour cream

1.
Mash the avocados with the lime juice in a medium bowl. Using sharp knife, remove the kernels from the corn cob and add to avocado mixture. Stir in the tomato and green onions.

2.
Combine the chipotle and sour cream in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir the cream mixture into the avocado mixture. Season with salt.

“I grill the corn directly on a grate over charcoal before cutting it off the cob and adding it to the recipe.”

A cook, Atlanta, Georgia

do ahead:

The
GUACAMOLE
can be made 4 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of guacamole and refrigerate.

greek salad
with orzo and black-eyed peas

This salad is low in calories and high in fiber, so why not double the recipe? The ingredients can be assembled in jars and stored in your fridge, making it easy to pack and carry to work or the beach. Simply mix it up and serve at room temperature with a side of toasted pita chips so you can scoop up every bit of the oregano and vinegar dressing.

YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS

¾ cup orzo

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 large tomato, diced (1 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise, cored, and diced (1 cup)

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, slivered

⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves

2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped romaine

½ pound feta, crumbled (1 cup)

4 to 8 peperoncini

Pita chips, for serving

Special equipment: 4 (16-ounce) wide-mouth jars or containers with lids

1.
Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.

2.
Toss the black-eyed peas, tomato, and parsley with the vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Marinate, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

3.
Meanwhile, toss together the orzo, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the cucumber, olives, onion, lemon zest and juice, oregano, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

4.
Divide the black-eyed-pea mixture (with juices) among the jars and layer the orzo salad, romaine, and feta on top. Add 1 or 2 peperoncini to each jar.

“I’ve also put this inside a pita, inside a tortilla, and on top of baby spinach.”

Hollie26, Kitchener, Canada

do ahead:

ASSEMBLED JARS
can be chilled up to 6 hours. Serve at room temperature.

spanish rice plus

This dish from Epicurious member
Christopher Curtis
of Halifax, Canada, pairs well with Mexican, barbecue, or various fish dishes. Easy to make, the rice is infused with natural smoke from the grilled corn and peppers. Add chipotles to enhance that smokiness, or throw in some sausage, such as chorizo, for a meaty main course.

YIELD: MAKES 6 TO 8 (SIDE DISH) SERVINGS

1 ear of corn, shucked

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 fresh jalapeño chile

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 shallots, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, or 3 cups diced fresh

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives

½ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup water

¼ cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Special equipment: Gas or charcoal grill

1.
Preheat the grill to moderately high heat. Grill the corn, red and green peppers, and jalapeño until charred, about 4 minutes for the jalapeño and 8 minutes for the corn and bell peppers. Transfer the corn to a plate to cool.

2.
Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool. When cool enough to handle, gently remove the skin from each pepper, then chop the flesh and remove and discard the seeds. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob.

3.
In a large, straight-sided skillet over moderate heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Cook the onion, shallots, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until pale golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, black beans, olives, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir in the corn, bell peppers, and jalapeño, and add water.

4.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro, and serve immediately.

My family loves to have fajitas, enchiladas, or ribs when we get together for big family meals. When I served Spanish Rice, they loved it, so then the trick was to adjust the recipe to better complement the flavors of whatever was being served. This version is their favorite.

—Christopher Curtis

gingered
bulgur salad
with grapes

This bulgur salad makes a delicious and healthy side. It travels well, too.

YIELD: MAKES 2 SERVINGS

½ cup bulgur

¾ teaspoon salt

⅔ cup boiling water

½ cup seedless green grapes

⅓ cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.
In a bowl, stir together the bulgur and salt. Stir in the hot water and let stand, covered, 30 minutes.

2.
Slice the grapes and chop the cilantro. Mince the garlic. In a small bowl, combine the grapes, cilantro, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, and oil. Fluff the bulgur with a fork and stir in the grape mixture.

bevy of beans and
basil

This salad is a beautiful chorus of peas and pods. Cook all the beans in the same pot so you boil the water only once.

YIELD: MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

1 pound fresh fava beans, shelled, or 1 cup shelled fresh or frozen edamame

¾ pound young fresh Romano beans (Italian flat beans), stemmed and cut diagonally into 1½- to 2-inch pieces

½ pound green or wax beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

¼ cup (packed) basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons water

1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest

2½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1.
Blanch the fava beans in a pot of boiling well-salted water 1 minute, then transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Transfer again to a small bowl.

2.
Cook the Romano beans in the same pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Cook the green beans in the same pot until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes, then transfer to ice bath. Add to the Romano beans. Gently peel the skins from the fava beans, then add to other beans.

3.
Cut the basil into very thin shreds. Cook the garlic in the oil with a rounded ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add the beans, the water, and lemon zest and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Stir in the basil and the lemon juice and remove from heat. Season with salt and additional lemon juice, if desired. Serve beans warm or at room temperature.

Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich (Banh Mi)

vietnamese chicken sandwich
(
banh mi
)

A symbol of France’s influence on Vietnam, the
banh mi
sandwich showcases the tangy pickled vegetables of Southeast Asia in a French baguette piled with meat and pâté. This recipe calls for liverwurst instead of the traditional pork pâté, and roast chicken, though roast pork can be substituted for a richer flavor. Spice lovers should add a few dashes of sriracha, the sandwich’s customary condiment.

YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS

½ pound daikon, peeled

1 carrot, peeled

½ cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 (24-inch) soft baguette

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce, such as nam pla or nuoc mam

½ teaspoon soy sauce

¼ pound liverwurst

2 fresh jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced