Basil-Mint Fried Rice

How many variations of stir-fry can this lady make? Hmmm... Probably a few more. Rice and veggies are always in my kitchen.

From left to right: Mint, cilantro, and basil.

There are a few details that set this stir-fry apart from the others. The most obvious is the addition of fresh basil, mint, and cilantro after cooking. If you ever have a chance, do try Thai basil (you just might have to grow it yourself). It's peppery, anise-y, spicy basil flavor is delicious in stir-fry but in my case, I used good ol' Genovese basil. 

In order to make the flavors more integrate, I also chopped the vegetables very small. This way you get a bit of everything in one bite.

Frozen basil cubes

Fresh herbs are fantastic when available but are not always a feasible option. I found a few vendors at my farmer's market who had an abundance of basil at prices I was willing to pay. I washed the basil and let it dry. Then I put the leaves in my mini-food processor with enough olive oil to get things moving. I pulsed the basil, adding a drizzle of oil as needed, until the basil was basically a paste. Then I spooned the basil paste into ice cube trays. The oil is necessary because basil will turn black if frozen on its own. I was concerned about the basil absorbing any scents from the freezer so I wrapped the ice cube trays in plastic wrap. Once the basil cubes were frozen, I removed them from the ice cube trays and placed them in a freezer bag. 

These are very simple to use. I just drop one or two into the pan of whatever I'm cooking right at the end, whether that's stir-fried rice, pasta, or tomato sauce. Enjoy!

Ensalada Caribeña: Cuban Cabbage Salad

Besides winter squash, my current obsession is cabbage. It all started with my frugal rice salad. Then I became interested in expanding my knowledge of Latin cuisine. So far this year I've made ensalada de remolacha (Cuban beet salad) and ensalada de repollo (Latin cabbage salad). Both recipes feature vegetables that are available year round without a noticeable different in quality. The ensalada de repollo was a great addition to my fall line-up of soups. It was bright, fresh, and raw. Qualities that I probably wouldn't use to describe many of the side dishes found on the table this time of year. I wanted to continue to experiment with the possibilities.

Z.'s favorite salad from Pambiche is their ensalada caribeña, or Caribbean salad. It's a red and green cabbage salad with carrots and herbs dressed with a refreshing citrus vinaigrette. I tried creating my own version of ensalada caribeña. 

I have enjoyed this recipe several ways. First, I enjoyed my Caribbean salad as its own meal, making a healthy lunch. I also a small plate of the salad as a side dish to my Fall Squash Soup. The bright, citrus flavors will complement all of fall's most popular dishes. Come back soon for the recipe!

Ensalada de Repollo: Latin Cabbage Salad

 

I know next to nothing about Latin food and have been trying to change this. My journey started with ensalada de remolacha. A bright, refreshing salad of tender beets dressed with a citrus dressing. Then I moved on to piccadillo, which Z. and I have enjoyed over pasta and I have used the leftovers in several creative ways. The next recipe on my Latin food adventure was my take on migas.

Now I am on to ensalada de repollo. What do I like so much about this recipe?

• It's cheap. Cabbage is the cheap/poor person's best friend.
• All the vegetables are what I consider year-round veggies. Of course, this time of year, the cabbage is going to be particularly sweet and flavorful. 
• There is room for variation. I added many different veggies but if you just want cabbage, carrots, and cilantro, then go for it. Just make sure you invite me over for dinner. Jalapeno vinaigrette doesn't sound appealing to you? Leave it out or use 1/2 jalapeno. The sharpness and spiciness from a spicy chile pepper isn't for everyone.

Enjoy!

Latin Cabbage Salad

by Ace Nation

Keywords: raw gluten-free vegan Cuban

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Ingredients (serves 6-8)

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup vinegar, such as white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2-1 whole jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, more or less depending on taste

For the salad

• 3/4 small head green cabbage, finely diced
• 1/4 head purple cabbage, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper, such as red bell pepper, Italian sweet pepper, or New Mexico chile
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Try to cut the vegetables all the same size. Combine the vegetables and dressing in a large mixing bowl. Taste and add more salt if needed.

May be served immediately but is best when refrigerated for at least 1 hour. This salad gets better and better with time.

Serve as a side dish or as a condiment to a variety of meals, such as tacos or sandwiches.

Enjoy!

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Leftover Power: Harira-Style Stew

 

My obsession is back! I have soup on the brain. The temperatures drop slightly, we have a serious rain storm, and look what happens. Three soup posts in a row! Let me try to explain. This blog documents new recipes I come up with (or try creating, in some cases), as well as provide a place for me to share whatever I'm cooking lately.

Z. made his delicious chana masala and even after enjoying some the next day, we still had some chana masala left but no rice. What to do?

Well...in my case, I create soup.

• Leftover dal but no rice? I thin out the curry to my liking and have a delicious, spicy soup. Here's my recipe for brown lentil and yellow split pea dal that tastes great as is but would also make a great soup.
• Leftover stir-fry vegetables? How about hot and sour miso soup?
• You know I love leftover tomato sauce. Here's a tortilla soup I made from leftover red sauce and fajita fixings.
• One of my favorites: barley risotto, in this case, barley risotto with pumpkin (a great recipe idea as pumpkins will be coming into season soon!). Risotto provides a fantastic base for soup.

Z.'s chana masala provided the perfect foundation for this soup, providing a flavorful tomato and onion base. What I love about harira (here's my version) is the combination of chickpeas with lentils and the spices. I include ginger, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg, and harissa paste.

I transformed my leftovers adding as many of the same vegetables from the original recipe as I had on hand and the same spices, just scaled down. Delicious!

I began by heating a few teaspoons of oil in large sauce pan and sauteed garlic, carrots, and zucchini, until tender. Then I toasted two tablespoons of all-purpose flour for about 1 minute before toasting the spices. I added 3 cups broth, 1 generous cup leftover chana masala, 1/2 cup cooked brown lentils. I brought this to a boil, reduced the heat, let simmer for 15 minutes, and tasted. I added a dash more salt and a generous dollop of harissa paste.  Enjoy!