• 3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
• 4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
• 3 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 parsley sprigs
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 3 (19-ounce) cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 qt. water

For Garlic Crumbs

• 4 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs from a baguette
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup parsley

Halve leaks lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, then wash well.

Cook leeks, carrots, celery and garlic in oil with herb sprigs, bay leaf, cloves, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in beans, then water, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender but not falling part, about 30 minutes.

Make garlic crumbs while cassoulet simmers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle.

Toss bread crumbs with oil, garlic, and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated. Spread in a baking pan and toast in oven, stirring once halfway through, until crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cook crumbs in pan, then return to bowl and stir in parsley.

Finish Cassoulet

Discard herb springs and bay leaf. Mash some of the beans in pot with a potato masher or back of a spoon to thicken brith. season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, spring with garlic crumbs,.

Source: Gourmet, March 2008

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All it took was making this one time, and it immediately became a family favorite. Use your choice of ground pork, turkey, or even chicken, and I’m sure this easy-to-make Kimchi and Asian Noodle soup recipe will become part of your meal rotation.

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (coconut or olive oil)
• 1 lb ground pork meat (or turkey)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
• 5 cups chicken bone broth
• 2 Tbsp red chili paste (optional, to taste)
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cups cabbage kimchi, chopped
• 4 baby bok choy, quartered
• 8 oz. rice noodles (or, 12 oz. fresh Chinese egg noodles)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Warm oil in your cookware, add the ground meat and break it up into small pieces while cooking until it is slightly browned.

Add the ginger, the garlic and the rice wine vinegar. Stir for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the broth, the soy sauce, and the chili paste, if desired. Stir and add the bok choy. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, until the bok choy is tender.

Carefully add the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the package. Stir gently, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure the noodles do not stick.

Add the kimchi to the soup. Taste and season as needed with salt, pepper or soy sauce.

Remove the pot from the heat, garnish with green scallions and serve immediately.

Source: Emile Henry, Sublime Cookware Recipe/Care & Use booklet

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This versatile recipe is perfect for a quick weekday meal. Substitute the beef for pork, chicken, or even pressed tofu. You can even ditch the bun and serve the protein over a salad, rice, or Asian noodles.

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bottom 4 inches only
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce

*****

3/4 pound beef tri-tip or flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain in a diagonal

*****

Seasoned Mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp oyster-flavored sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil

******

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 4 soft french rolls, split and lightly toasted
• 3/4 cups fresh cilantro stems and leaves
• 1 cup Sweet and Sour Shredded Carrots (see below)
• 1 jalapeno chili

To make marinade, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the beef and stir to coat evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes.

To make seasoned mayonnaise, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Place a grill pan over medium high heat until hot. Brush with the vegetable oil. Place beef strips on the pan and cook, turning once, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat.

Spread the seasoned mayonnaise on the cut sides of each roll. Divide the beef, cilantro, carrots and chili evenly among the rolls.

Serve.

Sweet & Sour Shredded Carrots

• 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups shredded carrot
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Place the carrot in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot vinegar mixture over them. Add the fish sauce, stir to combine, and let cool.

*****

Recipes: Martin Yan Quick & Easy, Chronicle Books, 2004

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This delicious way to prepare beef is so versatile. You can use it as a base for a stir fry, cook and serve beef on skewers and serve over rice . . . and add veggies you have on hand.

• 3 lemongrass stalks, bottom 4″ only, minced
• 3 tbsp plus 1-1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb boneless sirloin
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts (about 1 ounce), crushed
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• fresh mint and basil sprigs for serving
• Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves, for serving
• Lime wedges, for squeezing

Whisk together lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and oil. Slice beef thinly against the grain. Add to marinade, and toss. Let stand at room for temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat a grill pan or wok over medium-high heat. Cook until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with peanuts (if using). Serve with remaining ingredients on the side. Bundle meat, cucumber, and herbs inside lettuce leave — you can add tomatoes and rice, as well.

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We love making our favorite take-out recipes in our own kitchen. This Orange Chicken definitely ranked as one of our favorites! So easy. So delicious. So WOW

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces
• 3 eggs whisked
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder, or 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• orange zest (optional)
• Additions: Sliced scallions for serving

Preparation

Mix together cornstarch and flour. Dip chicken pieces in eggs and cover with cornstarch/flour mixture. Add canola oil to a large skillet or wok. Once heated, add chicken in batches to cook. Keep chicken warm in a bowl while sauce is prepared.

Combine remaining ingredients, except orange zest, in a pot and heat on the stove until boiling. Once heated to boiling, thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water), until sauce is thickened.

Pour over chicken, and mix until covered. Add orange zest, if using, and top with sliced scallions. You can reserve some of the sauce for serving. Serve with white rice.

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Healthy, hearty and simple, this easy soup recipe is truly peasant food at its best. This recipe is one of our new favorites from The Blue Zones Kitchen.

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 fresh vine-ripened tomato, chopped (or one 15-ounce can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes)
• 1 cup roasted tomato sauce, either fresh or store-bought
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. orzo or similar short-cut pasta
• 1 tsp salt
• Salt and pepper (optional)

In large pot bring water and broth to a boil

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, olive oil, orzo and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine

Reduce heat to low and ring pot to a simmer. Cook until you see very small bubbles and broth is thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, so orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

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This recipes just says “fresh and flavorful” to me. It is filled with lots of healthy ingredients, and that’s exactly what we’ve been looking for in new recipes to add to our rotation. And, as an added benefit, it’s easy to prepare.

• 1-1/4 cups quinoa
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp each, salt and pepper
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked corn
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup guacamole
• 1/2 cup tomato salsa
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• lime wedges, for serving

Rinse the quinoa, then place quinoa and 2-1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease heat to a simmer, and cover pan. Simmer until quinoa has absorbed the water, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cooked quinoa. Divide among 4 bowls and arrange chicken, black beans, corn and cabbage over quinoa.

Top with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. sprinkle with green onions and serve with lime wedges.

Source: Fissler.com

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This recipe was a surprise. Not only did I like it, but the burgers were immediately prepared by the rest of the family for lunch. I made this using a pressure cooker for my dried black beans, while I cooked up the sweet potato in my countertop oven. Use canned beans, pressure cooker, steamer, or whatever . . . it’s a delicious recipe.

• 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup peeled, mashed, cooked sweet potato
• 1 cup mashed black beans
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder, optional
• oil for cooking

To make the patties, pulse the rolled oats in a food processor until coarsely ground and set aside.

Combine the sweet potato, black beans, salt and spices; then incorporate the ground oats. Let sit for about 5 minutes so flavors can marry.

Form the mixture into 4 patties. In a skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat.

Add the patties and fry on both sides until crisped, about 4 minutes per side.

Top with onions, cooked leeks, or a sauce made with pureed pepitas and salsa verde.

Source: The Blue Zones Kitchen

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An Argentinian-inspired steak with chimichurri is easy and quick to make out on the grill. It is a crowd pleaser that can be enjoyed with additional chimichurri sauce on the side, and of course, a glass of Malbec.

• 2-3 lbs flank steak
• 1 cup parsley, chipped
• 3-5 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cups vegetable or olive oil

Place all ingredients (except steak!) in a blender and pulse until chopped.

Preheat grill.

Place the steak directly over a hot grill, baste with the chimichurri grilling sauce. Alternately, you can grill steak to desired doneness, and use all chimichurri sauce as dipping during dinner.

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Deliciously easy to make, these fried meatless fritters are a staple of Middle Eastern food. They can be made in a variety of ways, and this recipe, with chickpeas, has proven to be one that my family requests frequently.

• 1 cup chickpeas – dried or canned
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (1 cup)
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 to 1 tsp dried hot red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4-6 Tbsp flour
• vegetable oil for frying
• chopped tomato, diced onion, diced green pepper for serving
• yogurt dipping sauce
• pita bread

If using dried chickpeas, place them in a large bowl, adding cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Allow to soak overnight, then drain. If using canned chickpeas, drain.

Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and onions in a bowl of a food processor. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, pepper, garlic and cumin, then process until blended, but not pureed.

Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 Tbsp of the flour and pulse. Continue to add flour until the dough forms a small ball that doesn’t stick to your hands while making. Transfer the dough into a bowl and place in the refrigerator, covered, for several hours.

Form the dough into balls the size of walnuts.

Heat 3″ of oil (to 375 degrees F) in a deep pot or wok, then fry a handful of the balls for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. If the balls fall apart during frying, add a bit of flour.

Drain on paper towels. Stuff half pita bread with chopped tomatoes, onions, green pepper, or lettuce, then add falafel. Top with yogurt dipping sauce, or tahini sauce.

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