Satisfying Super Salad :Chipotle Barbecue Bean and Corn Salad

What do potato salad, corn-on-the-cob, watermelon, and bean salad all have in common? They're requisite summer cookout foods.

When I was a kid growing up in Rhode Island, it was usually Italian-style pickled bean salad made with green and yellow wax beans and dark red kidney bean. I always ate so much that I inevitably ended up with pickled gray vinegar lips.

Then sometime in the '90's my mom replaced the Italian bean salad with a rich, sweet baked bean dish made with crispy bacon. It was so sugary good, that one year I ate nearly half of it while I was making it for the cookout. Not a good idea.

When we lived in North Carolina, it was either a mushy green bean salad with diced ham (yech) or a crisp black-eyed pea salad similar to succotash (yum).

Now that we're in Southern California, I don't know what the appropriate bean salad is anymore. So I decided to go Southwest with the flavors. A trio of beans -- black, red kidney, and chickpeas -- and fresh sweet corn are happily drowned in a spicy, tangy chipotle barbecue sauce. Chipotle chilies in adobe sauce add that characteristic smoky flavor that contrasts pleasingly with the sweetness of the ketchup and brown sugar.

This salad is also my Satisfying Super Salad series. You’ll feel satiated well after you eat this salad because beans are a super food -- they're high-protein, high-fiber, slow-digesting food which helps keep your blood sugar steady. Feel free to add grilled tofu, pork, or shrimp for added protein.

Of course, if you're not watching your calories, then Jeff would like me to tell you that, "It's awesome with hamburgers and barbecued ribs." Two more requisite foods for a cookout.

Chipotle Barbecue Bean and Corn Salad:
Makes 4-6 servings

Sauce:
1 cup ketchup, preferably Heinz
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3-4 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, finely chopped, plus 1-2 tablespoons of adobe sauce**

Salad:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 ears sweet corn, kernels removed from the cob
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can of black beans, rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can of red kidney beans, rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can of chick peas, rinsed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

To make the sauce, whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl, and set aside.

To make the salad, heat olive in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green onion and corn kernels. Saute until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, and add to a large bowl. Add raw bell pepper, rinsed beans, and bbq sauce; stir until well combined. Gently stir in the fresh herbs. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, though it tastes better if allowed to rest for a couple of hours.

Pasta with Arugula Pesto and Tomatoes...

I chose this pasta dish because it's indicative of the type of recipes.It's simple to make and simply delicious.


Pasta with Arugula Pesto and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 oz. arugula, tough stems removed (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup walnuts
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for garnish
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved, or chopped large tomatoes
1 pound pasta

Preparation:

In a food processor, combine the arugula, parsley, walnuts and garlic. Process using short rapid on-off pulses until the mixture is finely chopped, 15 to 20 times. Add the grated cheese, salt and pepper. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. (Add additional water or olive if necessary.) Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Salt generously and add the pasta. Cook, stirring frequently, until al dente (tender but firm to the bite). Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Place the pasta in a large warmed serving bowl along with the pesto. Toss well, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Add the tomatoes and toss again. Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Something's fishy - Salmon Croquettes

Though the pink fish is much loved by both the wife and I, My wife never really took to cooking it at home. It took just one recipe to change the status quo. A recent issue of Cooking Light had an easy and healthy recipe for salmon croquettes. What do I say about CL? Love their lo-cal take on food.

I didn't use as much mayo as listed in the recipe and omitted the flour altogether. Still the croquettes were delicious. Paired with a spinach salad they made a quick, light weekend lunch. Plus this was one time we didn't miss carbs at all!

Just remember that the mixture should be squishy. Don't keep adding flour/ crumbs until you can shape the patty well, because the croquettes firm up as they cook.

SALMON CROQUETTES
(makes 6)

2 wild salmon fillets (or a 15 oz. can)
2-3 tbsp baby dill, chopped
2 tsp lite mayo
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1 egg white
2-3 tbsp dry bread crumbs plus more for dredging
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil or cooking spray for frying

If you are using fillets, heat a pan and coat with spray. Place salmon skin side down and turn the heat to medium high. When you see the skin begin to peel remove pan from heat. Let cool and peel skin off.

Place salmon in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and season to taste. Shape into patties, cover with film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat a skillet and coat with oil or spray. Dredge patties in crumbs lightly and place on pan. Cook on each side until golden brown. Serve with mustard or horseradish sauce.

Pomegranate and Red Wine Granita

Pomegranate and Red Wine Granita

Ingredients:

2 pomegranates

the juice of 2 oranges

orange rind

a splash of red wine

sugar to taste

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

-Puree the pomegranate berries in a blender then strain through a cloth.

-Heat the juice with all ingredients in a sauce pan. When hot but not boiling, take off the heat.

-At room temperature, remove the orange peel, pour liquid into a plastic bowl and freeze for 1 hour.

-Remove from freezer, whisk, and put back into freezer.

-Repeat until you see ice forming.

-Visit often and use the top of whisk to break up the granita.

Longevity Noodles

Ingredients:

8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound dried thin egg noodles or spaghetti
Sauce:
3 cups chicken broth or stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water
Other:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 green onions, sliced diagonally into thirds
2 - 3 tablespoons cooked ham, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Oil for cooking

Preparation:

carry the salted water to a boil and parboil the noodles, using chopsticks to separate them. Rinse the noodles repeatedly in cold water and drain thoroughly. Divide the noodles equally among four soup bowls.

Bring the broth or stock to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Add the cornstarch mixture last, stirring to thicken.

Heat wok and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the eggs and mix. Add the broth or stock mixture and bring to a boil but don't allow the eggs to set. Pour the mixture over the noodles and garnish with green onion and ham.

Variations:

Instead of using a wok, lightly stream the beaten egg into the heated sauce mixture with a fork. Pour the mixture over the noodles and garnish with the green onion and the sliced ham as in the recipe above.

Another variation I've seen calls for using the wok to poach the eggs. The poached eggs are placed on the noodles and the sauce is pored over.

For a contrast in texture and color, add a green vegetable.

Blackberry Oatmeal Cake + Latte + Drizzle = Vancouver

When John and I planned our trip to Vancouver, BC Canada a few years ago, we planned it for July -- the month with the lowest probability of rain. We were assured of beautiful weather -- I didn't even pack an umbrella (not that I had one to pack).

When we landed in Vancouver, it was raining.

It continued to rain for three days straight. So we skipped a few attractions like Butchart Gardens and spent our time in beautiful museums, quaint book stores, and charming cafes instead.




One drizzly afternoon we enjoyed a memorably good fresh blackberry and oatmeal cake with a couple of cafe lattes. There is something about a cake with fresh berries, a hot latte, and a light rain that makes for a perfect idle afternoon.

Vancouver, like Oregon and Washington State, boasts some of the continent's best berries. We savored fresh tart loganberries, a succulent boysenberry tart, and even gooseberry ice cream.




So when Jennifer of the Domestic Goddess (the founder of Sugar High Friday) announced that this month's SHF theme was Mmm ... Canada, I knew I had to make a blackberry-oatmeal cake. Since I didn't have time to fly to Vancouver for blackberries, I settled on these plump locally grown ones from the farmers' market. I wasn't frustrated.

Each bite is a sensory pleasure: the crunchy oatmeal-cashew topping gives way to a soft, moist cake punctuated with bursts of warm, juicy sweet-tart blackberries. As soon as I tasted it, I felt magically transported to Vancouver. The only thing missing was the rain.




Fresh Blackberry, Oatmeal, and Cashew Cake
Print recipe only here.

I lowered the fat and cholesterol in this cake by using less canola oil than usual, low-fat buttermilk, and egg whites only. Of course, full-fat versions work as well.

Cake:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup fresh blackberries (cut in half if very large)
1/4 cup chopped cashews

Topping:
3 tablespoons chopped cashews
3 tablespoon rolled oats

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter or coat with cooking spray an 8 inch square pan.

In a medium bowl, sift the flours. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a separate large bowl, beat the sugars and egg whites at medium speed until light. Beat in the vanilla, buttermilk, and oil. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, including the oats. Beat until just incorporated and the flour is dissolved. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blackberries and cashews until well blended.

Pour the batter into the pan and gently shake it to even it out. Sprinkle the chopped cashews and oats evenly over the top of the cake and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Bake for 45 - 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unfolding onto the rack to cool at room temperature.

Unfold the cake, and place on a rack. Allow to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Delicious soups...............

World of soups

Allow yourself to be inspired by soups from around the globe
First, allow yourself to be inspired by soups from around the globe, from the homespun Jewish chicken soup, to the gumbos, made from okra, chicken, seafood or meat, of the American South. India has countless dahls (lentil soups); Middle Eastern Muslims break their Ramadan fast with harira, made from lentils, chickpeas, and lamb; and Japan is famous for soups based on miso (fermented soybean paste).
Eastern Europe boasts goulash (a beef and paprika stew that started life as soup) and borsch (beetroot and meat soup). Spanish gazpacho is always fashionable; Greeks love avgolemono (egg and lemon soup); and Italy has numerous bean and pasta soups, such as minestrone. Closer to home, Scotland is renowned for cullen skink (smoked haddock soup) and Scotch broth (mutton and barley soup).

Soup specifics

The word 'soup' comes from the Latin 'suppare', which means 'soaking', and once described a dish of meat or vegetables that was soaked in the liquid in which it was cooked. In ancient times, soup was referred to as either broth (meaning 'brewed') or pottage ('cooked in a pot'). Bouillon, from the French word for 'boil', simply means stock. Consommé, a French word meaning 'consummated', describes the process in which an ingredient is simmered for a long time to acquire a concentrated flavour; its modern meaning is 'clear soup'.

Chowder, which comes from chaudrée, a Breton word for cauldron, is a thick soup that's associated with New England and the American north-east. Depending on where it's made, it can have clear stock or a tomato base, or a creamy milk base, into which seafood (usually clams) are added.
Possibly originating in the Bay of Biscay near Spain, bisques are rich, thick soups that were once made from poultry and game birds, but are now normally cooked with crustaceans. Velouté, literally 'velvety' in French, is soup that's thickened with cream, egg yolks, flour and butter.

Making stock

To make a good soup, it's essential to use good stock. It's fine to use stock cubes in a pinch but for the best-flavoured soups, it's best to make your own. Use fresh vegetable trimmings or frozen peelings - you can accumulate these in freezer bags and use them as needed.
Dried or fresh mushrooms, carrots, celery, pumpkins, corn cobs, meat bones, inexpensive cuts of meats or unused ingredients (such as chicken carcasses or shells from shellfish) make excellent bases for stock.


For flavouring the stock, herbs such as parsley and thyme add depth. Bay leaves are practically a must, because they add a haunting background flavour. Asian-style stocks can be made from miso paste, dried bonito fish flakes or seaweed and flavoured with fresh ginger and lemongrass.
Brassicas (the cabbage family, including broccoli and Brussels sprouts), spinach, artichokes, and asparagus can leave a bitter, metallic taste, so it's best to avoid using these as the basis for your stock. Likewise, onion skins and strongly flavoured herbs and spices will overwhelm. Vividly coloured ingredients such as beetroot, turmeric, saffron and soy sauce, while fine in a soup, are best left out of a stock.
For an extra depth of flavour, sauté or roast the vegetables or meat before use. Put the ingredients in cold water (half solids to half water is a good ratio), bring to boil, and simmer. Vegetable stocks take a half hour to one hour to cook, while chicken and meat stock take between one and five hours. Skim off the whitish foam that appears on the surface regularly, and strain as soon as possible after cooking.

Thickening soups

Once you've mastered the art of stock-making, you'll be making soup regularly. But what if your soup is too thin? The best remedy is to thicken the soup with the purée of a central ingredient you're using in the soup. Root vegetables, tomatoes, beans or lentils are particularly good for this.
Alternatively, you can use cornflour, arrowroot, rice, tapioca, semolina, cornmeal, bulgar wheat, breadcrumbs or crushed nuts. Egg yolks, milk, cream, yoghurt, crème fraîche or béchamel sauce are also suitable.
To avoid lumps or curdling, add your chosen ingredient first to a ladleful of soup in a bowl, amalgamate well, and then pour the mixture back into the soup pot.

Garnishes and accompaniments

In addition to using croutons, chopped fresh herbs or a swirl of cream, you can decorate soup with finely diced or shredded vegetables, deep-fried wafer-thin vegetable slices, deep-fried herbs, toasted nuts and seeds, cooked quail's egg, or a spoonful of caviar.
Serve your soup creations with crusty breads or elegant grissini, float croûtes (largish bread slices) on top, or serve with fritters or savoury biscuits and muffins. Most Asian soups are served with rice and pickles. As ever, experimentation is the key.