Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

Every time I cook with cream, I swear to myself that I will cook with it more than I do. It's just plain awesome. I know, I know...fat content, calories, blah blah blah. But every once in a while I encourage you to go for it. I met a man this weekend whose most famous quote is "Have you every just enjoyed a big glass of cream?" If there are people doing that, you can handle a few tablespoons.

One of my favorite spring recipes is Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Gnocchi-with-Spinach-and-Peas-240959

 It's a simple recipe that works with fresh or frozen peas. Simmer one cup of peas with 1/2 cup of cream, a dash of red pepper flakes, and chopped garlic until they are cooked. Add 3 cups of spinach and stir  until they wilt. Take the pan off the heat and add zest from one lemon and a few teaspoons of lemon juice. Toss with Parmesan cheese and a bit of water from the cooked gnocchi.

The best part of cooking with cream is you are bound to have leftovers for indulgent cups of coffee, whipped cream with strawberries or a cream based soup. Or you could just drink it.

Carmelized Tofu on a Brussel Sprout Slaw

Sounds weird, right? So does the Foie Gras Fluffernutter sandwich I mentioned a few weeks ago and that was amazing! I wasn’t up for trying to replicate that over-the-top sandwich, but I have had a craving for salty sweet ever since.

Ironically, this vegetarian tofu recipe hits the same notes. Start by sautéing tofu in a bit of peanut oil. Once it browns up a bit, add two minced garlic cloves and a healthy handful of nuts. After a few minutes, toss in about 3 tablespoons of sugar and stir until it’s dissolved. Remove from heat and mix in some chopped cilantro.

Add a bit more oil to the pan and sauté half a pound of finely sliced brussel sprouts. Once they start to brown nicely, remove and top with the tofu mixture. Sprinkle with salt. Voilà. It’s practically a Foie Gras Fluffernutter sandwich.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/caramelized-tofu-recipe.html

Chia Seed Pudding with Sunflower Seeds and Berries

I can’t count the number of times that somebody has told me I should eat more omega-3 and that I should make sure Xavier gets a lot in his diet. This is not news to me but it’s easier said than done for somebody who can smell salmon from a mile away. I actually tried to give Xavier sardines when he was a baby in hopes that he would learn to like them from an early age and avoid my fate of gagging every time I see them. However, he’s my son so he gagged too. Good boy.

I had pretty much given up on omega-3 when along came chia seeds. Chia, more famously known in its Chia Pet form, is packed with these fatty acids, along with fiber, protein and other nutrients. It’s ant-inflammatory and stabilizes blood sugar levels by slowing down the rate at which carbohydrates are digested. It’s my new hero.

Chia seeds can be turned into a great warm breakfast cereal. Heat up 1.5 cups of almond, soy, coconut or regular milk until hot but not boiling. Stir in 4 tablespoons of chia seeds and let it sit for 5 minutes. It will turn into a jelly-like porridge. I realize this sounds gross but once you toss in some toasted sunflower seeds, a drizzle of honey, berries and ideally a spoon of coconut butter, this super food turns into a really awesome breakfast.

Palak Paneer

When Carolyn and I traveled around India a million years ago, we were temporarily vegetarians. Rumor had it that sticking to vegetables decreased your chances of Delhi Belly. The experiment failed. However, if there is one country to be a vegetarian in, it’s India. One of my favorite dishes was Palak Paneer. It’s mellow and comforting in the same way lasagna is. I finally got around to making it and now have one more vegetarian dish firmly in the rotation. Cut 12 ounces of paneer into ½ inch cubes and brown in a tablespoon of butter. Sautee two chopped onions until they are soft. Add 3 chopped garlic cloves, one tablespoon of grated ginger, a generous pinch of turmeric and one tablespoon of a spice mixture made up of the following: cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, cardamom, and cloves. If you have at least 3 of those, it will be tasty. Cook for a few minutes and then add 1 ½ pounds of spinach. Frozen spinach actually works great in this recipe but if you use fresh spinach, chop it very finely. Once the spinach is wilted, add something creamy. Some recipes call for yogurt, milk or buttermilk. I happened to have a bit of cream cheese and some milk so I added a bit of both. Toss in the paneer and squeeze a fresh lemon over it. Serve with rice.

Deviled Eggs a la Spotted Pig

There is no better way to use up old Easter eggs than making deviled eggs. They are also a great dinner party snack if you have more time than cash on your hands. The Spotted Pig makes a damn good deviled egg so I followed their recipe.

Place 12 eggs in single layer in a saucepan. Cover with cold water, bring water to a simmer, shut off the heat and let them stand for ten minutes. Peel under cool running water. And don’t get a paper cut from the shell. Ow!

Combine egg yolks, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon mayo or yogurt, 1 tablespoon Dijon, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar and one teaspoon malt vinegar in a food processor. Blend until smooth adding more oil if necessary. Season with salt.

Transfer mixture to a plastic Ziploc and cut a small hole in the corner. Fill the empty egg whites with the puree and try to make dramatic tails! Sprinkle with salt, red chili flakes, chives or something else with color.

Chicken with Green Olives and Preserved Lemons

A few months ago, Rupal took Denise and I to Kalustyan's in Murray Hill for the first time. She was shocked that we had never been there as it's definitely a 'kid in a candy store' type situation for anyone who likes to cook. We spent over an hour wandering around and debating pressing questions like "Should I buy fresh or dried fenugreek?" and "Do I splurge on fresh curry leaves?" (The answers are fresh and yes.)

I finally emerged onto Lexington Avenue with bags full of paneer, preserved lemons, dried Persian limes, spicy lime chutney, and a dozen varieties of rice and lentils. Then came the hard part. What do I make with all this? I decided to start with the preserved lemons as they seemed the most perishable. I tried Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives. I accidentally drank the white wine the recipe calls for the night before so I just used broth. It's a simple recipe that lends a lot of flavor to chicken breasts.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Moroccan-Chicken-with-Preserved-Meyer-Lemons-and-Green-Olives-102732

Next on my list is a recipe with Persian limes. Stay tuned.

Brisket Breakfast Tacos

Ryan and I tend to eat dinner around 9:30pm at which point I’m so starving that my blood sugars have plummeted and I can barely speak. I arrive home from work at 6:30 but then I launch into Xavier's frantic dinner-bath-bed time routine. I emerge from his room at 7:30 (practically ready to go to bed myself) and finally unpack the dirty lunch dishes from my purse, hang up my coat, blah blah blah. Fascinating stuff I realize. Anyways, by the time I re-energize (read: have a glass of wine) and Ryan gets home from class, it’s after 8 and time to start chopping.

Enter the slow cooker. I bought one a few weeks ago with the idea that at least a few times a week I could come home to dinner already made. I’m fairly suspicious of anything beyond brisket and beef stew that needs to cook that long but I’m open to suggestions if any of you have them. My first experiment was the Southwestern Pulled Brisket from Smitten Kitchen.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/southwestern-pulled-brisket/

I served the brisket on blue tortillas with grated cheese, yogurt, cilantro and red onions. It was good. However, after marinating it over night, I reduced the sauce as Smitten Kitchen suggests and served it up as breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs. It was awesome. Unfortunately this means that if I want to make awesome brisket, I need to plan two days ahead. Is making dinner EVER easy??!!!