The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (69 page)

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1 (½ inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, roughly chopped

1½ teaspoons brown sugar

Place the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and sugar in a small food processor or blender; blend until smooth. Serve with the noodles, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

brown rice with tofu, dried mushrooms, and baby spinach

SERVES 6

1½ cups short-grain brown rice

½ ounce sliced dried shiitake mushrooms

8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into ¾-inch cubes

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 dried red chile, crumbled

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

3 ounces baby spinach (about 4½ cups)

½ cup finely chopped scallions (about 6), white and pale-green parts only

¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

1½ tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1.
Stir together rice, 3 cups water, the mushrooms, tofu, ginger, garlic, chile, and salt in the bowl of a rice cooker. Cover with lid, and cook until machine switches to the warm setting (about 45 minutes). Let rice stand 15 minutes to finish steaming.

2.
Stir in spinach. Cover, and let steam 1 minute with machine still on warm. Stir in scallions, cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Serve immediately.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 222 CALORIES, 3 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 42 G CARBOHYDRATE, 305 MG SODIUM, 8 G PROTEIN, 3 G FIBER

stuffed swiss chard

SERVES 4 TO 6

3 large bunches Swiss chard

Coarse salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 small leeks, white and pale-green parts only, trimmed, finely chopped, and well washed

6 medium scallions, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise

Freshly ground pepper

6 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

3 cups cooked short-grain brown rice

1¼ cups finely grated aged provolone

6 tablespoons fresh ricotta cheese

¾ cup fresh bread crumbs

Fresh Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Choose 12 large chard leaves (each should be about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide) or 24 smaller leaves; set aside. Coarsely chop enough of the remaining leaves to make 4½ cups; reserve remaining leaves for another use. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a pinch of salt. Blanch whole leaves, 1 at a time, until tender and bright green, about 5 seconds. Lay flat on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.

2.
Melt butter with oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, scallions, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chopped chard, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chard has wilted, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add pine nuts; let stand until cool. Stir in rice, cheeses, and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper.

3.
Place a blanched leaf facedown on a work surface. Cut out thickest part of stalk, about one-third of the way up leaf; slightly overlap the cut ends. If using smaller leaves, overlap 2 leaves so they are about 10 × 5 inches. Spoon 1 cup filling about one-third of the way up leaf. Fold bottom of leaf over mixture. Fold in sides. Roll to enclose filling completely, creating a 3 × 2-inch bundle. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

4.
Transfer to a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Tent with foil. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Spoon warm sauce onto plates; serve 2 or 3 bundles per plate.

fresh tomato sauce

MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat oil in a medium, straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

2.
Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Pass through the medium disk of a food mill. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.

tortilla casserole
(budin azteca)

SERVES 8 TO 10

4 fresh poblano chiles

18 corn tortillas (6 inches each), halved

7 tablespoons vegetable oil

10 ounces spinach, tough stems removed

Coarse salt

1 small onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained

1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream, plus more for serving

2¼ cups Tomatillo Salsa (recipe follows), plus more for serving

1½ cups (8 ounces) grated queso fresco or Monterey Jack cheese, or a combination

1.
Place chiles directly over the flame of a gas-stove burner on high heat. Roast chiles, turning with tongs, until blackened all over. (Alternatively, broil chiles on a baking sheet, turning, until skin has charred.) Transfer to a bowl, and cover immediately with plastic wrap. Set aside to steam, about 15 minutes. Peel chiles; discard skins. Remove stems, seeds, and ribs; cut chiles into 1 × ½-inch strips. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl.

2.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush tortilla halves on both sides with 3 tablespoons oil. Arrange on baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until tortillas begin to bubble (before becoming crunchy), 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

3.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Wash spinach, and drain but do not dry. Add spinach to skillet. Cover, and cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly. Squeeze out liquid. Coarsely chop, and set aside.

4.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in chiles; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.

5.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add beans and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, mashing slightly with the back of a wooden spoon, 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

6.
Line bottom of a 10¼-inch-round, 2½- to 3-inch-deep baking dish with 12 tortilla halves, overlapping slightly. Layer with chile mixture, half the bean mixture, and half the crema. Spread ¾ cup salsa over top. Sprinkle with ½ cup cheese. Repeat for second layer, using spinach instead of the chiles. Top with remaining tortillas, ¾ cup salsa, and ½ cup cheese.

7.
Bake until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour; cover with foil for last 15 minutes if browning too quickly or becoming too dry. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with more salsa and crema.

tomatillo salsa

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2¼ pounds tomatillos, husked and washed

1 fresh serrano chile, stemmed and seeded for less heat if desired

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon coarse salt

1.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in tomatillos, 1 cup water, and the chile. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatillos have softened, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving ¾ cup cooking liquid. Let cool slightly.

2.
Working in batches, purée tomatillo mixture in a food processor with reserved cooking liquid. Add cilantro and salt; pulse to combine. The salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.

zucchini stuffed with chickpeas and israeli couscous

SERVES 6

6 small zucchini (6 to 7 inches long; 6 ounces each), halved lengthwise

Coarse salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, very thinly sliced into rings

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 medium fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of saffron

¾ cup cooked dried or canned chickpeas

¾ cup Israeli couscous

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus sprigs for serving

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1 cup water onto sheet; set aside. Using a small spoon, scoop out pulp from center of each zucchini, leaving a ¼-inch-thick shell. Transfer pulp to a kitchen towel, and squeeze out excess liquid. Coarsely chop pulp; set aside. Sprinkle zucchini shells with 1 teaspoon salt. Place shells, cut side down, on paper towels to drain.

2.
Melt butter with oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, ginger, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in 1½ teaspoons salt, the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and saffron. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini pulp and chickpeas; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

3.
Stir in 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Add couscous, and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has absorbed and couscous is tender, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and cilantro. Season with salt, if desired.

4.
Wipe zucchini shells to remove any liquid. Lightly season with salt. Mound about ¼ cup filling into each zucchini shell. Transfer to prepared rack. Cover with foil, and bake until zucchini are tender and filling is heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with parsley, cilantro, and lemon.

tortilla española

SERVES 8 TO 12 AS HORS D’OEUVRES, 4 TO 6 AS A MAIN COURSE

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium russet potatoes (about 1¾ pounds total), peeled and cut into
¹
/
₈
-inch-thick slices

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and cut into
¹
/
₈
-inch-thick slices

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

7 large eggs

1.
Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick slope-sided skillet or omelet pan over medium heat. Toss together potatoes, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add to warm oil; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes (do not let the onion brown). Pour into a sieve set over a medium bowl; set oil aside.

2.
Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add potato mixture, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

3.
Heat 2 teaspoons reserved oil in clean skillet over medium heat. Add egg-and-potato mixture; cook, pulling cooked egg away from sides with a rubber spatula to let raw egg flow underneath, until bottom is set and just pale golden (and top is almost set), 5 to 7 minutes. Place a plate, upside down, over skillet (use a plate with a diameter larger than the skillet); invert tortilla onto the plate.

4.
Add 1 teaspoon reserved oil to skillet; swirl to coat. Slide tortilla, uncooked side down, back into skillet. If any potatoes slip out from bottom, tuck them back in. Cook, pressing down on tortilla with spatula and tucking in edges to shape sides, until completely cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes more. Slide onto a cutting board. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

side dishes

lighter mashed potatoes

SERVES
8

16 ounces small-curd low-fat cottage cheese

2 pounds small red potatoes, halved if large Coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, plus stems for garnish

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons skim milk

1.
Purée half of the cottage cheese in a blender; set aside. Cover potatoes with water by 1 inch in a medium saucepan. Add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

2.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add cottage cheese, pepper, chives, butter, and milk. Season with salt. Mash to desired consistency. Serve garnished with chives.

sautéed brussels sprouts with raisins

SERVES
4

Brussels sprouts are members of the cabbage family. They are in season from late August through March.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

10 ounces Brussels sprouts (about 25), stems trimmed, and thinly sliced

2 carrots, cut into ¼-inch pieces

¼ cup golden raisins

1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and carrots; sauté until the sprouts start to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the raisins and chicken broth; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 12 minutes. If the skillet becomes too dry before the sprouts are tender, add up to 3 tablespoons water, and continue cooking. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

home fries

SERVES
6

We used small potatoes for this recipe. If your potatoes are larger, adjust the cooking time.

2½ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes Coarse salt

¾ pound thick-sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 small red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice

1 red onion (about 10 ounces), cut into ½-inch dice

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

1.
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil over high heat. Salt the water. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until the potatoes have softened but are still slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes; cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

2.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat until all the fat has been rendered and the bacon is crisp and brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside on a paper towel to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the reserved potatoes; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved bacon, peppers, onion, and thyme; cook until the vegetables have softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and serve.

mashed plantains

SERVES
4

You will need sweet, fully ripened plantains (plátanos maduros, in Spanish) for this Cuban-inspired side dish. They are soft, with peels that are mostly brown or black, and are available in Latin-American markets and many grocery stores.

2 fully ripe plantains, peeled and halved lengthwise

½ teaspoon coarse salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of ½ lime

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the plantains with salt and cayenne; drizzle with the oil to coat. Arrange, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the cut sides of the plantains begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Turn the plantains; roast 10 minutes more.

2.
Mash the hot plantains on the baking sheet with a potato masher until somewhat smooth (some large chunks should remain). Transfer to a serving bowl, and drizzle with the lime juice.

apple charoset

MAKE ABOUT 3½ CUPS

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup kosher sweet red wine

Chop the apples in a food processor. Stir with the remaining ingredients in a bowl. The charoset can be refrigerated, covered, up to 4 hours.

southern green beans

SERVES
8
TO
10

1 large or 2 small ham hocks

1 large onion, cut into quarters

1 small dried red chile (optional)

8 cups water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.
Place the ham, onion, and dried pepper, if using, in a medium saucepan; add the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a gentle simmer; cover, and cook 2 hours.

2.
Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the ham and onion to a plate, and set aside; discard the dried pepper. Return the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 45 minutes.

3.
Meanwhile, shred any meat from the ham hock with a fork, and return it to the saucepan. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Reduce heat to medium; add the green beans, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

butternut squash with brown butter

SERVES 4

The easiest way to peel butternut squash is with a vegetable peeler; the harp-shaped variety works particularly well.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 butternut squash (about 1¾ pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch cubes

½ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add the squash; sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, about 16 minutes.

2.
Add the chicken broth, water, and brown sugar; cook until the liquid has evaporated and the squash is nicely caramelized, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

church street squash

SERVES
8
TO
10

This savory dish is named for one of the streets in historical Charleston, South Carolina. Crookneck squash is a summer squash that is available year-round in certain regions. You can substitute zucchini or even a winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, depending on what’s in season in your area.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds yellow crookneck squash, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 large onion, finely chopped

¾ cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese (3 ounces)

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon coarse salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon paprika

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add the squash, and cook over medium-low heat until tender. Transfer to a medium bowl, and mash lightly with a fork.

2.
Melt the remaining tablespoon butter in the same skillet. Add the onion, and sauté until tender. Add to the bowl with the squash. Stir in the cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and egg.

3.
Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with the paprika. Bake until golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve hot.

scalloped mushrooms

SERVES
8
TO
10

We used frozen pearl onions, but you could use fresh instead. To peel, place them in boiling water for 1 minute, and then let them cool slightly before slipping off their papery skins.

9 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1-pound bag frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained

3 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as button, cremini, or shiitake, trimmed and cut in half (large ones quartered)

¾ cup heavy cream

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (4 ounces)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup plain coarse bread crumbs, preferably homemade

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and cook until soft and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2.
Working in 4 batches, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet; add one-quarter of the mushrooms, tossing to coat evenly with butter. Cook until the mushrooms have released their juices and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions. Repeat the process with the remaining butter and mushrooms.

3.
Add the heavy cream, ½ cup Parmesan, salt, and pepper to the bowl; stir until combined. Return the mixture to the skillet, or transfer it to a large baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and remaining ½ cup Parmesan over the top.

4.
Bake until bubbling and nicely golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve hot.

edamame succotash

SERVES
6

If you can’t find fresh edamame (soybeans), frozen works just as well. Look for them in the freezer section of your grocery store.

1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 3 cups)

2 ounces green beans, sliced on the bias into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock, skimmed of fat

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame

1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh thyme

Pinch of coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.
In a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water, steam the squash until just tender enough to be easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Add the green beans to the basket; steam until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

2.
In a 10-inch sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the corn and edamame; cook, stirring occasionally, until brightly colored and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

3.
Add the thyme with the steamed squash and green beans; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

creamed fresh corn

SERVES
4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

8 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed, kernels cut from cobs

¼ cup heavy cream

1¼ cups milk

¾ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the jalapeño, and cook 1 minute. Add the corn; cook, stirring, until the kernels are tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2.
Transfer 1½ cups cooked corn to a food processor; add the cream and milk. Process until the mixture is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, pressing down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.