Grilled Summer Vegetables & Sushi Rice with Fish-Sauce Vinaigrette

Looks good right?

Ok then.

I can't even pretend to have not noticed, so I'll just be upfront: fish sauce is gross. Like.. gross gross.

Like, when you open the bottle you instantly release a pungent aroma slightly reminiscent of putrid milk and gym socks. That kind of gross.

Like, I was too afraid to taste it on its own, so I used exactly the amount required for this recipe and mixed the whole dressing before I dared to taste. I still have no idea what it tastes like. That kind of gross.

Like, when you spill a little on your chest (yea, I don't know.. don't ask me how that happened) and then wipe it off, it will still smell funky for hours (too close to your nose for comfort). That kind of gross. 

Like, the bottle asks that you not refrigerate; it might congeal. That kind of gross.

And trust me, I was really worried about this dish once I opened that bottle. I thought for sure it was going to be a flop. I was pretty confident that I was about to make the dressing, hate it and then improvise a new one. I lacked confidence. 

But, damn this was good. So please, don't live in fear of fish sauce. Just be sure not to get too close, don't let anyone else smell it, put the cap back on tightly and hide it in the back of your pantry.

Soundtrack: 




Grilled Summer Vegetables & Sushi Rice with Fish-Sauce Vinaigrette
Serves 4-5
Adapted from Bon Appetit


Salad
Vegetable oil
15 okra pods
3 ears of corn, shucked
2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise, centers scooped out
1 small eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1" slices
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
1 tsbp fresh lime juice

2 dried mild or hot chiles, rehydrated (I used Ancho)
2 c (loosely packed) coarsely chopped mixed fresh tender herbs (I used basil, cilantro & mint).
4 cups steamed sushi rice

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush grill grates with oil. Lay okra, corn, zucchini, chiles, eggplant out on a baking sheet. Using a basting brush, apply a light coating of oil to the vegetables, then lightly salt. Grill vegetables, turning every 2 minutes, until crisp-tender and lightly charred (total time is about 8 minutes).

Remove the corn kernels from their cobs and place in a large bowl. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into irregular 1" pieces and place in bowl with corn. Trim the tops from okra and cut into small tubes (about 2 cuts per orka pod) and add to bowl. Set aside.

Combine in the bowl of a food processor or small chopper the garlic, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and chiles. Process until pureed.

Drizzle dressing over warm vegetables. Toss in the herbs until thoroughly combined.

Scoop steamed sushi rice onto a platter and top with salad. Either serve in this manner over the sushi rice, or toss together until combined.

Tofu, Corn & Snap Pea Burritos

I'm really excited about this burrito post.

Sure, I've made some other burritos before with other delicious ( and some similar) ingrediences (Tofu, Black Bean & Corn and Grilled Shrimp and Zucchini). Sure, they were equally exciting to eat and share.

But oy. I'm really excited about this post, because it shows me how far my photo skills have come since I started out to conquer this blogging hobby. Well, either my skills have gotten better or my camera has gotten better. You decide. (Camera)

But I finally feel like my photos are starting to really capture freshness and color and detail. Those elements are really important to me. After taste of course! I love fresh food with lots of color and I love being able to share that.

These burritos have the perfect amount of crunch. I really hate a soggy or mushy burrito. I never really understood restaurants that cover them in sauce (I mean.. maybe it's tradition or maybe it makes some people happy) or why all burritos don't include lettuce. I need something crisp. I gots teeth and I wanna use them before it's too late and I'm eating mashed peas 5 nights a week.

Ew mashed peas. Shudder.

Soundtrack:


Tofu, Corn & Snap Pea Burritos
Serves 4-5


1 1/2 packages of extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed (I used 1 1/2 because I reserved 1/2 a block for use in salads. You could certainly use both or just 1.)
EVOO
1 c snap peas, cleaned, trimmed and halved
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp agave syrup
1 c corn, either fresh from the cob or canned
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
4-5 tortillas
1/2 radishes, julienned (to garnish)
romaine lettuce, chopped (to garnish)


Before beginning, be sure to press tofu for 20 minutes. Cube and set aside.


Heat 1 tbsp of EVOO in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, red pepper and snap peas. Season with salt and pepper and sautee for 3-4 minutes, or until onions just begin to soften. Remove from the skillet to a bowl and set aside.


Drizzle a bit more EVOO into the skillet. Add tofu to the skillet. Cook over medium low heat for a minute, chopping with the side of your stirring utensil until the tofu is broken down into small pieces. Add vinegar, cumin, chipotle, and agave. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Add corn and cook another 2 minutes.


Remove from heat, stir in onion, pepper and snap pea mixture. Add cilantro and stir to combine. 


Serve in tortillas, garnished with radishes and lettuce.

Red Wine Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro & Avocado

Ok, so there are chicken fajitas. Big whoop. (90's <3)

But these have been drinking.

They started out purple. I was a little nervous.

(Don't be nervous if your fajitas are purple at first.)

This overwhelming purple-ness did reminded me of a time when I made purple risotto though. I didn't have any white wine and thought it was an obvious substitution. Wine.. wine.. same... right? The risotto was delicious, but there's something about certain colors that just makes foods weird.

Anyway, no one likes a purple risotto. Fail.

 

These are deeee-licious and totally not purple. Phew. A mostly sweet flavor with a hint of smokiness and a touch of spice. And so much more interesting than boring sober fajitas. But then again, so aren't we all?

Speaking of the '90's I really wish I still had my copy of the original Now. Like, a lot. But.. did you know they're still cranking those out? 'Tis true! Numero 41! Are people still buying these things? Please, someone tell me you know someone who is still buying these things.

I'm a Barbie girl. Foreva.

Soundtrack: Funk is back and boogie is alive.






Red Wine Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro & Avocado


1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 c. red wine
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced
cilantro
flour tortillas
EVOO, salt & pepper


In a large saute pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Continue to saute until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.


Add bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, paprika, and brown sugar. Stir to coat.


Pour in red wine and stir again. Try to make chicken and peppers as level as possible to submerge in the wine. Season again with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Bring the dish to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and continuing to cover the chicken as much as possible in the sauce. 


Meanwhile, heat the tortillas in the oven at 200 degrees for 2-3 minutes.


Adjust seasoning on chicken to taste. Serve in warm tortillas, topped with a hearty amount of avocado, tomato and cilantro.

Balsamic-BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos with Red Pepper & Apple Salsa

Guys, as we speak, I'm watching Kim Kardashian's wedding. I also secretly made pulled pork in my (borrowed & awesome) Crockpot last week. If neither of these things make you hate me, then we're in pretty good shape.

Why didn't I post said pulled pork? My logic was as follows. Crockpot pulled pork recipes are about a dime a dozen on the interwebz these days. Everyone's got a recipe. Everyone's ends up tasting like... pork covered in BBQ sauce. This varies according to BBQ sauce, of course. But you get the point. It's delicious... but it ain't nothin' different!

I used this recipe, from The Way the Cookie Crumbles. It's fabulous. Delicious. Easy. One pot deal. I couldn't stop sampling the meat as I was pulling it... ya know.. little bit for the bowl, little bit for me. Little bit for the bowl, little bit for me. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I used this Balsamic BBQ Sauce, from Giada. Also fabulous. Everything she creates is amazing. I made the sauce, used about 1/2, before allowing the sauce to reduce, for the end of the pork recipe. I reduced the rest and served it on the side. 

So now, ladies and gents, now I am regretting not taking any pics to share with you, since I'm bragging about it anyway. It's really much easier to make someone wish they were eating something when they can see exactly what they're missing. But take my word for it here I guess. Phenomenal combination.

But why, you ask, am I bragging now?

Well, because I made something that I loved with the leftovers. So you're going to have to bear with me for a moment here.

I don't really care how you acquire your leftover pork. Or maybe it's not even leftover at all. Maybe this is the main squeeze and sandwiches will be your leftovers. Or maybe you bought some reheat variety from the supermarket. Whatever your style, these tacos pretty much rule. Tangy balsamic bbq pulled pork, contrasted with a fresh, sweet salsa and topped with an chipotle "sour cream," these are quick, easy and full of flavor.

Soundtrack:
HELLO by Ronaldo Vetro  

Balsamic-BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos with Red Pepper & Apple Salsa

Serves: 3-4

• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 c cilantro, chopped
• 1 honey crisp apple
• juice from 1/2 lime
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 tsp adobo sauce
• 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
• dash of chile powder
• dash of garlic powder
• dash of paprika

1 lb pulled pork (perfect for leftovers!)

1/2 c. Balsamic BBQ sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)

1 c. finely grated Monterrey Jack cheese

1 pkg small corn tortillas

• In a small bowl, combine bell pepper, onion and cilantro. Chop apple. Immediately add to bowl with pepper, onion and cilantro. Quickly toss with lime and lemon juices (to prevent browning). Set aside.
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• In another small bowl, combine greek yogurt and adobo sauce using a whisk. (Yea, ok sounds weird. I SWEAR you can't tell it's not sour cream. I never use an entire container of sour cream, but yogurt I definitely will eat. So this is a great sub.) Set aside.

Place can of black beans in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Season with a dash of garlic, paprika & chile powder. Heat until warm & drain. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Meanwhile, warm pulled pork (nuke it, cook it, etc) and toss in bbq sauce. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Warm tortillas over a frying pan. Lay out pork, beans, salsa, cheese "sour cream" and tortillas. Dig in and have fun building!

Put the lime in the Coke you nut!

Autumn Salsa!

Tip: Use 1/4 tsp of sauce for this "Sour Cream"
then, freeze the chile's in bags of 2-3 to use in recipes
(most call for 2-3 chiles)

Taco night <3!

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Cilantro Lime Pork Chops

Mmm. Cilantro. Mmm. Citrus. Mmm. PORK.

Serving Suggestion: STARCH!
Actually, I just keep conveniently forgetting that corn is NOT a vegetable
Jer keeps reminding me... damn him!

See here's the thing. Pork chops can be tough to cook. Because they get tough. (har har har) There is literally nothing worse than chewing on a tough pork chop, trying to cover it up with barbecue sauce, hanging your head in shame.. (yea that's what bbq sauce reminds me of... sad) So how can you make this not happen? Honestly, I have no idea. Was that a huge let down? I'm sorry. Things that I do know: every time I've ever baked pork chops they've been tough, I've had lots of luck with grilling them, bone-in pork chops are tougher to make tough (that's not going to get old for me, I'm sorry... not). It's also my theory that because I buy cheaper pork chops, they are fattier, and therefore more forgiving (like sweatpants! or Joey's thanksgiving pants). I think that's probably accurate. Anyway, I cooked the boneless chops I used in this recipe over the grill and they came out perfectly. No marinade. No sauce. If that makes you nervous, you're normal. But it worked. I shrug my shoulders. Anyway, tried and true, just don't overcook and you'll get the perfect chop. Mmm pork.

Speaking of Joey's Thanksgiving pants, it's been coming to my attention more and more that not everyone in the world has seen every episode of Friends ever. This boggles my mind and makes me feel sad for you all. BEST. SHOW. EVER. I've actually been watching some re-re-re-re-runs on TV lately... gets me every time. I love cheesy jokes though, in case you hadn't noticed. One liners, silly puns, etc. Oooooh, the great American sitcom. I miss you. Snookie: "the poof" will never be as cool as "the Rachel".

Wait, were we making something? Oh yea. Cilantro Lime Pork Chops. Tender pork. The citrus-y sauce compliments the taste of the grilled meat well (definitely cook over a grill flame where possible!). And then cilantro. Great weeknight summer dish; easy and not a lot of time spent in a hot kitchen. So let's get started! (Original recipe from Epicurious)

Just a side note about my side dishes in the picture above: 1) Brown rice and wild rice tossed with salt, pepper, scallions and juice from 1/2 an orange (meh, should've used more orange, but it had potential) 2) Corn, rolled in a little bit of butter and seasoned with chili powder (good! try this!). I'd definitely suggest making some sort of grain (rice, couscous, what have you) to drizzle extra sauce on. 

Soundtrack: Eliza Newman (catchy! adorable! ukulele!) 

Cilantro Lime Pork Chops

1/4 c fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c EVOO

2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped

4 boneless pork chops

salt and pepper (to season)

Combine lime juice, garlic, pepper flakes, salt, EVOO and cilantro in a bowl. Stir with a whisk.

Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat (depending on thickness, check cooking times!) until cooked through.

To serve, pour 1/4 of the cilantro-lime sauce over each chop.

Fresh!

Chop! Chop! Chop! Pork Chop!

Finished sauce

Din!

:)