Arugula Walnut Peston & Mozzarella Broiled Sandwich with Radicchio

Arugula/walnut pesto & mozzarella broiled sandwich with radicchio 

Ingredients

• 2 bunches arugula

• 2 cups walnuts

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 cloves garlic

• ¼ cup parmesan

• ¼ cup pecorino

• black pepper

• ½ tsp salt, more to taste

• fresh mozzarella

• baguette or ciabatta rolls

• radicchio, a leaf or two depending on the side, for each sandwich

For the pesto:

Wash the arugula, leaving it a little wet, and place in a food processor. Add the peeled garlic, parmesan, pecorino, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Pulse to chop everything up at first. Then process further into a paste/sauce. If it is too dry, add more olive oil and/or some lemon juice. Once it has become smooth, but is still perhaps too thick, add 1 teaspoon of water. Some magic emulsifying will happen and everything will come together. 

To make the sandwich:

Cut the bread to size, spread generously with pesto, then pile on the mozzarella. Broil until melting but not yet colored. Press the washed/dried radicchio leaves into the cheese, kind of like gluing a collage when you were a child. 

Return to the broiler for about 1 minute. The radicchio will cook and get less pretty, the cheese will bubble and up and finish with bits of brown here and there. Flip the radicchio leaves, revealing an intensified, gorgeous color on the other side, and stick them back in the cheese. Crack over more black pepper and flaky salt, maybe a drizzle of grassy olive oil.

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Barton. 

Young Garlic & Squash Blossom Risotto

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 cloves of the mild, young garlic with soft, wet skins, OR 3 cloves of pungent, cured summer garlic.

• one large or two smaller spring onions

• arborio rice (350 g, about 3 1/2 cups)

• white wine (200 ml- a little less than a cup)

• hot vegetable stock (1.25 litres- about 5 1/2 cups)

• butter (have a stick on hand, use your own judgement from there)

• olive oil

• squash blossoms (several, from your garden, or available at farmers markets)

Directions

Peel and slice, then chop the garlic and spring onions. 

Wash and set aside your squash blossoms.

Grate the parmesan cheese and set aside. 

Melt the butter and olive oil in the base of a good heavy bottom (half-height, if you have one) soup pot. I do feel strongly that a wide base is essential for good risotto. 

A good tool is also essential. Make sure your tool can safely scrape the bottom of your pan. A wooden flat spatula (just make sure its tip is thin enough) is good on enamel pots, a strong metal spatula on steel. 

In another soup pot or tall saucepan, heat your prepared stock. Ideally, make a good garlicky broth. You could also make a fresh young garlic stock by cooking some other cloves in butter, topping off with salt and water, then boiling/simmering (perhaps with a cheesecloth sachet of parsley stems) until the taste comes through. 

Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the arborio rice and cook for a minute or two more. Scrape out a circle in the center, then add the white wine. It should sizzle and steam on contact. Stir vigorously so the rice absorbs the alcohol. Cook this way for about 2 minutes, until the liquid is gone and the rice is just barely starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Make another circle with your tool. Add a ladleful of stock, then stir vigorously to incorporate. Repeat this process, taking progressively longer between ladlefuls. You'll notice the stock absorbs quite quickly at first, then as the rice cooks, it will slow. You don't want the rice to break down very much and become gummy, so the sweet spot is where you can feel whole grains on your tongue, but they are entirely tender. 

When most of the stock is absorbed (I almost always stop before I've reached the end of the pot) and the risotto is delicious, turn the heat off. Add the squash blossoms and parmesan and another good knob of butter. Stir to incorporate, then cover to let the squash blossoms delicately steam.

Serve with grilled summer vegetables, dressed with lemon zest and lemon juice, grassy olive oil, salt, and pepper. Top each serving of risotto with another sprinkling of parmesan and, if you have access, some herb flowers. 

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Barton, photo by Peter Schweitzer.

Fried Green Meatlessballs

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 small red onion, diced

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• ¼- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 bunch kale, chopped finely

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• ¾ cup almond flour (or breadcrumbs)

• ½ cup sheeps milk feta, crumbled (or regular feta)

• fresh cracked pepper

• 1 or 2 eggs

• oil for frying

Tahini Lemon Sauce

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tsp miso paste*

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

To make tahini lemon sauce, add all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until uniformly combined. If sauce seems too thick, add a splash of water. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skilled over medium heat. Add red onion and salt and cook until onion is slightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, cilantro, cumin and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add in the kale and cook until wilted. If pan seems dry, add a few splashes of water, cover and let steam for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour greens mixture into a large bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Add in almond flour (or breadcrumbs), feta and some fresh cracked pepper. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Finally, add in the egg and mix until incorporated. Using your hands, try to form a ball. If it doesn’t hold together, add another egg and try again. Form the mixture into balls and flatten slightly so they resemble patties. I made 6 large ones, but you could also make 8 smaller sized ones.

Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan on medium high. Once oil is hot, add the balls to the pan – it should sizzle. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until deep brown and crispy. Flip each ball carefully using a fork or spatula and cook an additional minute.

Serve over rice for a hearty meal or enjoy as an appetizer. Generously drizzle my tahini lemon sauce over top.   

Recipe adapted from Food 52 by Natalie Bickford. 

Chickpea, Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Chickpea, Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Serves 4

Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tsp miso paste*

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 large tomato, chopped)

• 1 cup chickpeas

• ½ cup parsley, chopped

• ½ cup sheep’s milk feta (or any other kind of feta)

• ½ cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients into small bowl and whisk until uniform.

Combine the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley and feta into a large bowl. Pour dressing on top and mix until evenly coated. Top with additional feta and parsley and finish with fresh ground black pepper.

*If omitting miso paste, make sure to add salt, to taste.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Natalie Bickford.

Summer Panzanella

The classic Italian summer dish. A transcendent meal can be made from a little high summer produce and some old bread. 

Ingredients

• fresh, ripe tomatoes (several kinds if you can buy or grow them- large or small. Apx 7-12)

• cucumber(s, if little)

• the best damn stale bread you can get* (2 or 3 handfuls of cruton-esque pieces)

• very small (or half a medium) fresh sweet onion

• garlic, 4 or so cloves

• white wine vinegar

• lemon juice

• olive oil

• red wine (already open, just for cooking or what you are drinking that night)

• pickled green peppercorns (secret, important ingredient here, available at Pastaworks, you can also substitute capers here)

• parmesan

• fresh mozzarella

• basil or parsley or celery leaves or whatever strong leafy herb

Directions

Dice the onion finely and place it in a non-reactive bowl (a glass pyrex mixing bowl is perfect). Peel and chop the garlic, mincing and adding it. Pour enough white wine vinegar to soak the onion and garlic. Add lemon juice till they are almost submerged. Add olive oil to really bury them. Salt generously. Let this hang out for at least an hour, seriously. You can get away with half and hour but an hour is better. This is the technique that gives this panzanella it's brightness, it's zing. 

If you are cooking other food, work on it now; or take a walk, or read a chapter of your book. Wash, de-stem, and sliced the tomatoes. If using an english cucumber, no need to fuss over it. A regular one; peel a couple lines down the outer skin and scoop out the seeds before cutting. Little lemon cucumbers? Wash the prickles off, but no need to de-seed.

Smash/chop about one teaspoon of pickled green peppercorns. Add them with the tomatoes and the cucumbers to the onion, garlic, acids, and olive oil. 

After 10 minutes or so for these things to become acquainted (and white you grate the parmesan, tear the mozzerella, tear the basil), add the bread pieces. Toss aggressively, splashing in red wine as you go. Try to get the wine to hit half the bread pieces. Toss in the parmesan, the mozz, and the basil/other leafy herbs. Drizzle with olive oil, taste, add more wine, wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, or black pepper to taste.

Recipe courtesy of Myrtlewood.

Soba with Parsley Pea Pesto

Ingredients for the pesto:

2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 generous splashes of balsamic vinegar 
up to 1/2 cup olive oil 

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor and pulse until roughly combined.
2. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and continue pulsing until mixture comes together. Add more olive oil as needed, 1 Tbsp at a time, if pesto needs to be thinned out. You want it to be loose enough that it will lightly coat your noodles.

Ingredients for the noodles:

100g (or so) of dried soba noodles 
1 cup frozen peas, thawed 
2 cups kale, chopped
1/2 cup parsley pea pesto

Directions:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Once water has come to a boil, add dried soba noodles, give a good stir, turn off the heat and cover. Set aside for 5 minutes. I like my soba al dente and find that it is very easy to overcook. This method ensures that the noodles maintain their bite.
2. While noodles are cooking, heat frozen peas in the microwave (about 2.5 - 3 minutes on high, stirring halfway through). Add a small amount of water to the peas before microwaving them.
3. Once noodles and peas are cooked, drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and return to the pot. Drain the peas and add to the pot along with the chopped kale and pesto, toss to coat evenly.  Serves 2.

Recipe and photo by Natalie Bickford. 

Kale Salad

Ingredients

• 1 bunch lacinato kale

• 2 oz grated parmesan cheese (1.5 cups)

• 1 oz chopped almonds (small handful)

• Dressing:

• 1/8 c olive oil

• 1 tbs lemon juice

• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

• 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)

• 1/2 tsp pepper (more to taste)

Instructions

Rinse kale and remove rib. Chop to bite size pieces. Sprinkle cheese and almonds over kale. Mix the remaining ingredients for the dressing. Toss everything together. Taste and adjust as needed.

 

Avocado Cucumber Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 avocados, pit removed

• 1 cucumber, peeled

• 1/4 red onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, halved

• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

• 3/4 cup plain yogurt

• 1 cup water

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

• Lime wedges, for topping

• Chopped cilantro, for topping

Directions

Place all of the ingredients except the toppings into a food processor or high-powered blender. Puree/blend until smooth

Store in the fridge until chilled. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.  Optional: Sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne on top for some extra heat)

Recipe adapted by Natalie Bickford.

German Potato Soup

Ingredients 

• 1/2 large or 1 whole celeriac (celery root)

• 1 turnip

• 1 rutabaga

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 shallot

• 1 leek

• 3 small/medium yukon gold potatoes

• 1 small scoop of sauerkraut

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 medium brown bag filled with common mushrooms - crimini or white

• lots of butter

• alcohol of some kind

• pickle juice(s)

• apple cider vinegar

• dijon mustard

• lemon pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot, melt an entire stick of butter slowly over medium as you chop the alliums.

Onion- rough, lengthwise

Shallot- medium dice

Leek- quarter inch circles (white part). Reserve the green top part. 

Drop the onion/shallot in as soon as the butter can cover the bottom of the stock pot. Shake. Cover. 

Slice the celeriac into short-cigarette size rectangular pieces. Add them to the pot. Shake. Add a generous plop of dijon mustard the pot. The aromatics of the mustard will immediately be released and infuse the rest of the food- cover swiftly to trap them. 

Cook for approximately 5 minutes on medium, stirring three or four times to ensure even cooking. Halfway through, add the leeks. Shake. 

While this operation is happening, chop the turnip and the swede (rutabaga) into large yet thinnish pieces. Add them to a large mixing bowl filled with water. Shake salt in and mix around with your hand. The water will draw out of some of the less pleasant flavors from these guys and soften the fibers of the vegetables. 

Chop the potatoes however you want. 

When it looks like alliums are translucent and delicious, turn the heat up to high and remove the cover. They will start the sizzle/brown a bit. At the right moment, push aside the food and find the browning spots on the base of the pot. Deglaze with your alcohol of choice (white wine, dry vermouth, fine beer, or whiskey would be best), vigorously scrubbing with the wooden spoon to release the browned flavor bits. Return to medium heat.

Add a hefty splash of pickle juice, preferably from a few kinds of pickles. Add a dash of apple cider vinegar as well. Then, add the potatoes and scoop of saurkraut, and cover again. 

Around this time- prep garlic bulb for roasting. Get out a baking dish.Take off the tops/papery skin. Melt half a stick of butter. Cover top of garlic with sea slat, then pour over butter. Roughly tear with your hands the green leek tops. Toss with the butter. Salt and pepper these. Start to bake at 350. 

Prepare a tasty broth in a mixing bowl- mix bouillon with warm water (apx. 4 cups), taste it. Add powdered garlic, onions, whatever might make it taste good on its own. Add the broth along with the drained turnips and swedes to the pot. Mix well. Add lemon pepper (could make your own by saving dried lemon zest/cracking black pepper) Cover, and turn up to high till it starts to boil. Stir actively, reduce to low. 

Let simmer for an hour. Keep an eye on the roasting garlic/leeks. You want them to brown lightly and crisp. Moving them around in the dish will help. 

Also heat crusty bread of some kind- prepare it like garlic bread- whatever sounds good. To really go big, serve with a salty crumbly cheese and a smooth, complex cheese. 

15 minutes before you intend to eat, slice the mushrooms and sauté in butter (best in a cast iron) until crisped up and chestnut brown. Don't crowd the mushrooms! You might need to do 3 pans worth for each round to have enough space. As you finish each round, drop them atop the soup and cover again. If there is pan residue, deglaze again with alcohol and tip into the soup. 

When all is ready, do a final stir up, season-to-taste (really, you shouldn't need to salt or anything), and bring the soup up the temp if it has cooled too much. 

Make a fine paste from the roasted garlic. Stir a spot of roasted garlic paste into each bowl of the soup right before serving. Top with the crispy leek tops. 

Recipe by Andrew Barton. Photo by Peter Schweitzer.  For more work like this click here or here. 

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms (or Portobello, white button, etc)

• 2 Tablespoons oil or fat of your choice

• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 loose Tablespoon fresh rosemary

• 1 loose Tablespoon fresh thyme

• pinch sea salt & crushed black pepper

• 3/4 cup almond milk (or coconut milk, or water)

• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos (or tamari)

• 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

Chop up mushrooms and sauté in oil over medium high heat for about 8 minutes.  Then add in garlic and herbs, sauté for another minute or two.  Toss all ingredients including almond milk and coconut aminos into a blender, and blend on high until creamy.  Return to the sauté pan to warm up before serving. Optional: Simply add more almond milk to turn it into a soup instead of a gravy. 

This gravy also makes an excellent “cream of mushroom soup” replacement in your green bean casseroles! If making a green bean casserole,  toss in some sliced mushrooms, and bake just as you would normally. Top it off with sliced almonds instead of fried onions for a healthy twist. This gravy also makes a great base for a cream of mushroom soup, just thin it out the right consistency, and top with sautéed mushrooms and fresh herbs. 

Recipe courtesy of www.bettyrawker.com

Dark Cherry BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark sweet cherries (pits removed)

• 2 Tablespoons blackberry vinegar (red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos (or tamari)

• 1 Tablespoon minced dried onion (1 teaspoon onion powder)

• 1 Tablespoon black strap molasses

• ½ teaspoon mustard

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/4 teaspoon ginger extract (or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root)

• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (can be omitted)

• Sea salt & black pepper

• Optional: 1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

Blend ingredients together in a high speed blender.  Add more vinegar, molasses, or mustard to taste.  You can enjoy this BBQ Sauce raw, or simmer it down on the stove top.

Coat fruit or veggie kabobs with this BBQ sauce and warm then toss them on the grill for a few minutes. 

Recipe by Andrea Wyckoff of bettyrawker.com. Photo by Mercedes G Photography. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Serves 2.

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 cups spinach

• 1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced thin

• 1 small avocado, chopped

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1 batch of Poppy Seed Dressing

Poppy Seed Dressing

• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• ½ teaspoon mustard

• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

• small pinch sea salt

• ½ tsp honey or coconut nectar

Instructions

Whisk poppy seed dressing together in a small jar.  In large salad bowl, toss spinach, strawberries, and avocado in poppy seed dressing. Top with sliced almonds. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from pureandsimplerecipes.com.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic Dip

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, halved and seeds scooped

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• Coarse salt

• 1 large head garlic, halved crosswise

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 2 Tbsp tahini

• 1 tsp turmeric

• Cayenne, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drizzle cut sides of squash with oil and season with salt. Arrange cut side down on a baking sheet. Arrange garlic head halves in the center of parchment-lined foil. Drizzle with oil, sandwich, and wrap tightly.

Transfer to baking sheet with squash and roast until squash and garlic are tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop squash flesh and squeeze each clove of roasted garlic.

Transfer to a food processor with oil, lemon juice, tahini, and turmeric and process until smooth. Season with salt and cayenne. Store dip in an airtight container up to five days.

Try adding a little rubbed sage or ground rosemary to this—delicious!

Recipe adapted from WholeLiving.com.

Raw Cashew Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• fresh ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

Cover cashews with water and soak 4 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews.

Place cashews in a blender or food processor. Add salt, lemon juice, and black pepper. Puree while slowly adding water until the mixture has reached your desired consistency.

Variations could include adding a clove or two of raw garlic, a sprinkling of fresh rosemary, or (my favorite for a decadent twist) a drizzle of black truffle oil.

Enjoy with raw veggies, on crackers or dollop on top of a pizza.

Sugar Snap Salad with Miso Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 C sugar snap peas

• 3 cups napa cabbage, cut into thin ribbons

• 4 radishes, quartered and thinly sliced

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a slant (white and green parts)

• 2 T toasted sesame seeds

Dressing

• 1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 T sweet white or chickpea miso

• 2 T tahini

• 1 T brown rice syrup

• ¼ C rice vinegar

• 2 T dark sesame oil

• 2 T olive oil

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Prepare an ice-water bath in a medium bowl.  Boil the sugar snap peas for about 2 minutes, so they are bright green but still crisp.  Scoop them out and drop them in the ice water bath.  Once they are cool, drain and pat dry.  Remove and discard the stem end and string, then cut into thin slices on a slant.  Toss in a large bowl with the cabbage, radishes and scallions.

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender.  Toss the salad with half of the dressing to start, adding more to taste.  Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds and serve.

To toast sesame seeds, rinse in a fine strainer and drain.  Heat a cast iron or stainless steel frying pan over medium heat.  Add the sesame seeds and stir with a wooden spoon until the seeds begin to turn brown and pop.  This usually takes 5-10 minutes.

Basil Mint Pesto

Notes

Recipe adapted from the sprouted kitchen 

Ingredients & Preparation

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 cup walnut pieces

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Quick and Easy Miso Soup

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 quart water

• 1 tblsp toasted sesame oil

• 3-4 tablespoons of light or dark miso

• 1 medium onion, sliced in half moons

• 1 cup shitake mushrooms

• 1 cup chopped kale, collards, watercress, or other seasonal greens

• 1 carrot cut into thin rounds

• 1 three-inch piece wakame sea vegetable for additional flavor and trace minerals (optional)

• 1-2 eggs (optional)

• Chopped scallion or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Heat sesame oil in sauce pan until hot but not scalding.  Saute onions and mushrooms in sesame oil until tender.  Add water, bring to boil over high flame.  Add carrots, reduce flame to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. Add greens and simmer until tender. In a small bowl, blend miso with 3-4 tablespoons of liquid from pot. Reduce flame to low, add diluted miso, and simmer briefly. Optional: add an egg right before the soup is done and let it cook for 1 minute, this adds extra depth, richness, and more protein to the soup.  Garnish and serve.    

Nettle Pesto

Makes 1 generous cup.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound nettles

• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer for the nettles. Add the nettles directly from their bag and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. (This takes away their sting). Dump into a colander to drain. When the nettles are cool enough to handle, wrap them in a clean dishtowel and wring out as much moisture as possible, like you would for spinach. You’ll have about a cup of cooked, squished nettles.

In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper to taste until finely chopped. Add the nettles, breaking them up as you drop them in, and the lemon juice and blend until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Add the cheese, pulse briefly, and season to taste with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice.

Recipe adapted from Jess Thompson.

Japanese Yam Tofu Chili

Our 1st ever Chili Cook Off was a hit! We had eight wonderful, delicious chili dishes and lots of hungry judges. The chili that was voted #1 was Tami Cheng’s Japanese Yam Tofu Chili, and she was kind enough to share the recipe with us. 

Makes: about 3 quarts, serving 6
Total time: 3 hours

ingredients

Chili

• 3 dry New Mexico, or California Chilies, stems and seeds removed

• 3 dry Ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed

• 2 Chipotle chilies, stems and seeds removed

• 1 big yellow onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 1 orange bell pepper, diced

• 1 Japanese yam (replaced with sweet potato if not in season)

• 1 extra-firm tofu, diced

• 1 can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (use 2 chipotle chilies from the can and 2 tablespoons sauce for the chili, use the remaining for tofu marinade)

• 1 can dark red kidney beans

• 1 can black-eye beans

• 1 can black beans

• 1 1/2 can diced tomato with green chili

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil

• 5 cloves garlic crushed

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin

• 2 tablespoons coriander

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• some frozen corn

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional adult friendly)

• Shredded cheese, Cilantro, green onion, radish, avocado (optional toppings)

Baked Tofu Marinade 

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (left over from chili)

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions

Dice tofu into small cubes and leave them in Marinade overnight. 

Grind the 3 types of chillis in a grinder - this makes the chili powder.

Dice all vegetables in roughly the same size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray or brush a little oil on a cookie sheet. Place the tofu on the oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes turning once after the first 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add yam, cumin, coriander, and dried oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 mins. Add chili powder, soy sauce, and green pepper and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain and add all beans, tomato sauce, vegetable stock, bay leaves, 2 chipotle chilies from can and sauce. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, add cocoa powder, baked tofu and cook. Transfer to a slower cooker for another 2 hours.  Add orange bell pepper and frozen corn, then cook for another 30 minutes.  Add more vegetable stock as necessary if chili becomes too thick or sticks to the bottom of the pan.

When cooked, add vodka or bourbon and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and whisk in.  For best results, allow chili to cool and refrigerate for at least one night before re-heating and serving, this allows the flavors to meld together.