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Category: Food

Sweet Potato Hash

Posted on by Admin General

This week I was meant to be home, but I was planning to be at The Ranch. Normally, this is the time of year my family and I get ready to transition to our summer home, and before the big haul I take a week to myself to hike, be in nature, eat healthfully, reset and recharge. I put all electronics aside and allow myself to think, dream and plot how to schedule time to do more of what I love. 

In response to the Covid-19 threat, like many of you, our family decided to self-quarantine, and all travel plans were cancelled.  We have been home since mid-March and as we eased into a routine I naturally found myself walking more, dreaming more and simply spending time doing the things I love and never have time for—being with family, reading, organizing, cuddling with my pets, and cooking.  Inspired to pull out some tried and true recipes, we have had a lot of fun revisiting the dishes we’ve loved and shared so many times with family and friends, and on so many happy occasions.

Then, I received a gift from my friends at The Ranch, a copy of their new cookbook, Food, Food, Food, featuring deliciously wonderful plant-based recipes.  I love the food at The Ranch because it is so like the way we eat at home—seasonal, whole, plant-based foods. Since we were already sheltered-in-place, and even grocery runs were off the table, I had to improvise with a few of the recipes. 

This aromatic, filling, sweet potato hash was inspired by the Ranch’s recipe, and it was a big hit with the family. When I shared it on Instagram several friends DM’ed me to say they tried it at home and loved it, too. It’s the kind of comfort food that builds you up, it is healthful, whole and full of immune boosting ingredients that are on hand in most kitchens.  

Yield: Serves 6 

Amaranth Oatmeal Porridge

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Amaranth is a wonderfully nutritious gluten-free grain, and a high-quality source of plant protein. My acupuncturist recommended it when I was having digestive issues; and I’ve come to learn that it is also heart healthy, and fantastic for alleviating inflammation.  Easy to purchase in bulk, it keeps well. Sometimes I leave out the oatmeal because I’ve really come to love the flavor of amaranth and simply top it with seasonal fruits. Mostly I make it with oatmeal as my husband prefers it that way. He also likes to add goji berries and chia seeds. Some cooks suggest soaking the grains, I simply rinse them before cooking.

Yield: Serves 6

Vegetable “Meat” Loaf

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Eating a plant-based diet is a powerful way to improve health, boost energy and prevent chronic disease. Science shows that eating this way can help you live longer, reduce your risk of getting sick, and it’s great for the environment.  

There is scientific evidence that many chronic diseases can be reduced, controlled, and even reversed by moving to a whole food, plant-based diet.  Whole foods have been part of my repertoire since I became a mother. Homemade, unrefined (and once in a while, minimally refined) ingredients are a must in our home. 

This “meat” loaf recipe has become a family favorite, and I hope it’s the perfect meatless Monday meal.

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Eduardo de San Angel’s Cilantro Soup

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For over 20 years Eduardo de san Angel was a coveted reservation during high season in Fort Lauderdale.  Authentic chilies, spices, and fresh, vibrant herbs enhanced the classic seafood, poultry, and meat dishes at this cozy Mexican enclave known for its hospitality.  The intimate, hacienda-style rooms invited romance, and my husband and I often dined here on our date nights, away from the children.

Skilled chef-owner Eduardo Pria prepared creative Mexican fare, and in recent years he redesigned many of his classic recipes to create more healthful options.  For frequent diners like us there was no need to see the menu, the dishes we loved were embedded in our taste memory.  Food memories are powerful and one of our favorite crave-worth dishes was Pria’s Cilantro Soup. It was not on the menu, rather offered as a special. Fresh, vibrant, clean and simply delicious! When prepared with vegetable broth it’s a vegan’s delight, and a lovely way for those on a plant-based diet to dine well. 

When we returned to South Florida this year and discovered that Pria retired, closing one of our favorite restaurants, we immediately longed for his Cilantro Soup.  Several emails and google searches later I pieced together the recipe for this delicious soup, the one we loved, where Pria uses squash to thicken the soup, replacing the heavy cream.  Our romantic get-away will be missed, as will many of Pria’s wonderful dishes, but knowing we can enjoy his Cilantro Soup is comforting and sharing this at home brought a little romance to our table. 

Homemade vegetable or chicken broth is best, and if using prepared broths be sure they are low sodium.  Fresh, fragrant cilantro will yield the best results. We always opted for the Queso Fresca and Crema, both of which add a creamy tang to the dish. 

Yield: Makes about 14 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Aunt Marion’s Apple Dressing

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Food is an important ingredient in every family’s history, and revisiting recipes is an enjoyable way to discover lost traditions. Among my favorite food memories are the weekly luncheons I shared with my elegant aunt Marion. The daughter of Sicilian immigrants who came to American in the late 1800’s, Marion’s food was simple and delicious. Like other immigrants, her mother brought recipes, raw ingredients, even seeds from her homeland, and Marion learned to blend those precious gifts with their new American way of life.

I looked forward to her honest cooking, the delightful aromas that welcomed you as you entered her home, and the details of Marion’s perfectly set table—beautifully arranged, layered with fabric, and heirloom china, artfully mixed with something decidedly kitschy. Her gorgeous, but mischievous Siamese cats stood sentry in the entrance hall—they’d mark their territory by maneuvering in and out of a guests’ legs, and when they succeeded at tripping one, they’d dart away, with smiles on their rascally feline faces.

It is said that a family recipe can tell the story of who we are and where we’ve been. Perhaps that’s why I’m eager to collect my family recipes, and this one arrived just in time for Thanksgiving. In my aunt’s original recipe, she used Pepperidge Farm bread cubes and roasted chestnuts—a nod to the confluence of factors influencing the culinary world at that time, a rise in the number supermarkets and pre-packaged foods combined with a renewed fascination with classical European cooking.

You are welcome to use packaged bread cubes, but my preference is to make them from scratch using good-quality breads and seasonings that create an unmistakable Thanksgiving aroma—one that was most uniquely Marion’s. I also swapped out the butter for Ghee. On Marion’s lovely hand-written recipe, she labeled this recipe Apple Stuffing.  It’s just too good, too delicious to put inside a bird, and clearly intended to be dressing—with melted cheese overtop and slightly browned bread cubes, this is an aromatic side dish meant to soak up every bit of turkey gravy. My uncles were big meat eaters and so Marion had a note on the back of her recipe “sausage is optional.” She suggests removing the casing from one package of frozen Jones sausage, browning the meat, and draining it well before adding it to the dressing mixture. 

Yield: Serves 16

Annie’s Homemade Bread Cubes

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Easy, homemade bread cubes add texture and flavor to stuffing and dressing recipes.  They are perfect for breakfast casseroles, and add a delightful crunch when tossed with salads or served atop a hot bowl of soup. This recipe was inspired by my Aunt Marion’s Apple Dressing recipe, and included a Rye Hearth Bread and Spent Grain Hearth Bread both from Whole Foods, but you can work with any bread you like, including what you may already have in your freezer.

Store extra bread cubes in an airtight container for up to a week, or in the freezer for three months.

Yield: Makes 10 Cups

Baked Artichokes and Fennel with Spring Peas and Fava Beans

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As summer glides into full swing, you may stumble upon the last of the season’s fava beans. Like peas, favas are harvested when they are young, sweet, tender and have a distinct earthy pea-like flavor. So wonderful this time of year!

Early in their growing season, when the pods are no thicker than your pinky finger, you can cook them as you would green beans. Later, when the pods are the size of your thumb, it’s best to shell them out of their downy casings.

Americans typically shuck the beans out of their shells and pop them out of their delicate skins—which infuriates most Europeans, excluding the French.  I learned to cook in Mougins, France and was taught to leave the shells on in early spring when they are soft and sweet, and to remove them when the beans are large and the skins tough, generally in late spring—also the time when their earthy flavor shifts toward the taste of bitter wild greens. Toward the end of their season I remove both shells and skins, and pair these creamy beans with sweet peas to create an interesting balance of flavors.

As a child I loved pressing the beans gently between my fingertips until they popped out! Sweet like peas or wild and bitter, the flavors bring back fond memories of the Italian recipes my aunt Tina would create for Sunday dinners in the springtime. She usually served her beans with lamb. Like most legumes, favas pair deliciously with savory roasts, grilled lamb and spicy sausages.

This recipe was inspired by a basket full of favas I found in Southampton this past weekend, and by one of Ottolenghi’s spring recipes. It is a wonderful starter, and can also be served alongside grilled fish. If you are an aspiring vegan like me, you’ll love this version where savory fennel takes the place of meat, and crushed pistachio nuts add just the right crunch. It’s a celebration of spring!

Yield: Serves 4

Guacamole Dip

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An avocado-based dip or salad, guacamole was first created by the Aztecs in what is now Mexico.  In American cuisine we have mostly thought of guacamole as a dip, and in recent years it has gained popularity as a spread, served over warm, crusty bread and appearing in a variety of iterations; everyone has their favorite “avocado toast.”

This recipe is the most delicious, creamy avocado dip you will ever make and it’s super simple. It is bright and lemony with a little heat.  The recipe was given to me by Laura Campos Quintero who serves her Guacamole as a dip, side dish, a layer in any number of her wonderful taco recipes, and also tosses it with lettuce greens, water and olive oil to create a delightful salad.

Yield: Makes 4 ½ cups

Torta de Huevo en Salsa

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Most Americans are familiar with huevos rancheros  or ranch eggs, a classic Mexican breakfast of fried eggs on warm tortillas smothered with cooked tomato salsa (tomato sauce). I had these Yucatan style eggs for the first time in Los Cabos, Mexico, where the tortillas were served on the side and it was suggested I use them like spoons to gather all the delicious flavors on my plate to enjoy in one bite.  

This Torta de Huevo en Salsa is a beautifully refined version of the classic rancher’s style dish, with a more complex flavor profile and a fantastic presentation worthy of any table. When served with black beans, it is a meal hearty enough for brunch or an easy supper. 

Laura Compos Quintero taught me how to make these crave-worthy eggs which have quickly become a family favorite in our home.   She learned the recipe from her mother, Mercedes Cobian, who combined and refined recipes from her mother and mother-in-law to make this version.

My family loves to have brunch on Sundays, especially when entertaining weekend guests, and this dish is perfect for a big crowd. It can be prepared in advance of serving, and the longer the dish remains on the stove the better it gets – the eggs absorb all the flavors of the sauce. 

I am especially delighted to cook this when I have access to farm fresh eggs, locally grown tomatoes, plus garlic, chile peppers and fragrant cilantro from my own garden.   I love cilantro, but for the cilantrophobic this recipe works just as well with rosemary and parsley, and here’s a tip from Laura: “If your tomatoes are not as sweet as they could be, add a teaspoon of cumin to the sauce.”

Yield: Serves 4 

Charred Tomato Salsa

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Fresh, smoky and so easy to prepare, this salsa has made multiple appearances on our table; spooned over scrambled eggs, added to taco salads and burrito bowls and we found it’s particularly good with pulled chicken.

My favorite way to enjoy this salsa is to scoop up as much as I can onto a lightly salted, thin tortilla chip, and I have been known to pair it with my Serrano Margarita.  Charring the vegetables creates a smoky salsa that pairs perfectly with a cold, spicy, tart margarita. I like to char my tomatoes and peppers directly on the burner, but you can also char them in a cast iron skillet, in the oven or on the grill.

Laura Compos Quintero, who shared this recipe with me, leaves out the onion and cilantro when adding this salsa to her huevos rancheros recipe. She likes to use 1 chile for every 2 tomatoes, and I found it creates an evenly balances salsa, however, if you like a hotter salsa simply add more chilies.

Yield: Makes 4 cups