Beans, Cheese, Dinner, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Taverna Salad

January 10, 2025

This vibrant salad is all about beautiful colors and textures that make it unique and so delicious. Crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, hearty chickpeas, briny olives, crunchy pita croutons and halloumi cheese all have their place in making this one tasty salad. The recipe comes from Lidey Heuck, recipe contributor to New York Times Cooking. It is a wonderful salad that ought to be served at your next dinner party.

As mentioned in the original recipe, the ingredients list may look a bit long but do not despair! Each and every ingredient contributes to making this one of the best restaurant quality salads that can be made at home.

The recipe calls for toasted pita bread but I used leftover yogurt bread which worked great. You can also substitute the pita bread with broken pita chips if you’re short on time. Any of these options will provide that crunch factor that is an integral part of this dish.

Halloumi cheese (from Cyprus) is a uniquely firm salty cheese that has a chewy texture when eaten cold. It is most enjoyable when fried or grilled, developing a lovely crust or grill marks perfect for salads, mezze platters, kebabs and sandwiches. It is a firm cheese that holds up well to heat without losing its shape. If you are unable to find halloumi, use chopped feta as a substitute.

Pan frying the halloumi cheese just before serving the salad is key to the best texture. Though the cheese will still taste terrific, it can become a bit rubbery once it has cooled to room temperature or refrigerated.

I fell in love with this salad as soon as I tasted it. Serve it with grilled or pan fried sourdough bread for a delightful lunch.

Taverna Salad
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Taverna Salad

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4-6

servings

Ingredients

  • Dressing

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 small garlic clove (about 1 teaspoon) minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • Salt and pepper

  • Salad

  • 1 yogurt flatbread or 2 (5-6-inch) pita breads or broken pita chips

  • 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  • 2 small Japanese cucumbers or 1/2 medium English cucumber, halved, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

  • 1/4 cup minced red onion

  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1 (8 ounce) block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into 3/4-inch slices (or sub with chopped feta)

Directions

  • In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the Dijon mustard, vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  • If using broken pita chips skip this step and continue to step #3. Chop the pita or yogurt bread into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and toss to coat. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium. Add the pita or yogurt bread pieces and cook, tossing often, until toasted and golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Return to the small bowl to cool, reserving the skillet.
  • In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well.
  • Place halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the reserved skillet over medium-high heat (adjust heat as needed if too high) and cook the halloumi until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size cubes. Do this just before serving the salad so the halloumi retains its softer texture (halloumi has a firm rubbery texture when eaten cold).
  • Add crisped pita, yogurt bread or broken pita chips and halloumi to the salad. Toss and serve.

Notes

  • You may include a small diced yellow or orange bell pepper in place of some of the tomatoes.
Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Pesto Broccoli Pasta

January 3, 2025

Vibrant green basil pesto is such a versatile sauce. It is big on flavor; a little goes a long way. When basil is abundant in our garden, I’ll make a large batch of pesto and freeze it in small containers to use in the upcoming months.

Pesto is delicious tossed with all shapes of pasta. Long and thin, short spirally and twisty pastas are all so good with pesto. I used Mafaldine which is a long ribbon-shaped pasta. But pesto is not limited to only pasta. It’s a tasty addition to pizza, sandwiches, salad dressings, potatoes, chicken and pork loin to name a few.

These days I use cashews or macadamia nuts instead of pine nuts. This is due to an unfortunate pine nut syndrome experience I had some years ago. Everything, including water tasted extremely bitter and metallic. This lasted for 10 days. Ugh!!! I made a promise to myself never to eat a pine nut again and I’m sticking to it.

On another note, I now blanch my basil before proceeding with my pesto recipe. I was always disappointed with the pesto oxidizing when mixed with the pasta. The bright green color turned into a murky greenish-brownish color that looked unappealing. Blanching the basil for just 5 seconds does the trick. This little step deactivates the enzyme that causes the leaves to oxidize and leaves you with beautiful green pesto.

Like spinach, basil leaves shrivel when blanched. Don’t despair. The basil still has that herby aromatic flavor and a gorgeous emerald green color.

The combination of herby pesto and steamed broccoli pair very well together. It’s one of my favorite ways to incorporate more nutrition as well as texture and flavor to this pasta dish.

Pesto broccoli pasta is an easy dish to make. If you don’t have time to make your own pesto, use your favorite store-bought brand. You’ll have a beautiful dish to bring to the table in no time at all.

My favorite way to use leftover pesto broccoli pasta is as a frittata. It becomes a quick and tasty breakfast or lunch. I mix some eggs in a bowl then add the leftover pasta. This mixture is cooked in a skillet over medium-low heat and flipped once before serving it as is, or on good crusty pan-fried sourdough bread with arugula. It is utterly delicious.

Pesto Broccoli Pasta
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Pesto Broccoli Pasta

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4

Ingredients

  • Pesto

  • 4 cups basil leaves, gently packed (about 3 ounces)

  • 1/3 cup raw or roasted unsalted cashews (or substitute with macadamia nuts)

  • 1 large garlic clove, minced

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

  • 2 tablespoons Pecorino, finely grated (or substitute with Parmigiano Reggiano)

  • Broccoli

  • 10-12 ounces broccoli florets, cut into equal sized pieces and steamed until very fork tender

  • 8 ounces pasta such as spaghetti, fusilli, mafaldine, bow ties

  • Grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving

Directions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath for the basil.
  • Once the water is boiling, blanch basil for 5 seconds. Immediately remove basil (reserve pot with water for pasta) and transfer to the ice bath (spider strainer or small metal sieve works well). Transfer cooled basil to a sieve to drain. Squeeze out excess water with clean hands. Set aside.
  • Place cashews or nuts of your choice in a food processor. Pulse a few times until nuts are finely chopped. Add basil, garlic and salt. Pulse until basil is finely chopped. Pour half of the olive oil into the food processor and pulse a few times. Continue adding olive until you reach your desired consistency. If you prefer a thinner pesto add more oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Transfer pesto to a bowl and stir in the cheese.
  • Using the reserved pot of water, cook pasta according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, steam broccoli florets until very fork tender. Remove to a large plate and chop into bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Transfer cooked pasta to a large serving bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup of pesto stirring well. Add more pesto if needed. Toss broccoli with pesto pasta. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese and serve. Leftover pesto can be frozen for a few months.

Notes

  • Leftover pesto can be frozen in small containers for a few months.
Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pasta, Ramen, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Summertime Meal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Aunty Ruby’s Somen Salad

December 21, 2024

Perfect for a New Year’s Eve Potluck or New Year’s Day Lunch

Around a dozen years ago I posted a recipe for this refreshing cold noodle salad. The recipe was created by my aunt Ruby who was a fantastic cook and it is one of my favorite dishes. This noodle dish is eye catching with its layered rainbow of bright colors. Crispy carrots, cucumbers, ham, and slivered scrambled eggs atop delicate somen noodles are tossed with a tangy umami dressing just before serving.

The dressing is a perfectly balanced combination of rice vinegar for tanginess, soy sauce for a salty umami flavor, fragrant sesame oil and neutral canola oil, sugar to balance the salty soy sauce, and ground sesame seeds for a rich nutty flavor. It smells divine as you whisk it up in the bowl.

Long ago I splurged and bought a Zojirushi sesame seed grinder after seeing it being used at a sushi restaurant. I have gotten a lot of good use from this little kitchen gadget. There are many other options for grinding sesame seeds. Small hand held grinders are available online and at some Asian markets. You can also crush the seeds in a mortar and pestle if you have one.

All the toppings should be thinly sliced. If you are using smaller Japanese cucumbers they can be julienned or sliced thinly.

A solid choice in a pinch is this Oscar Mayer ham (available at Times on Maui). It’s very easy to cut into thin strips since it is neatly stacked. Any type of thinly sliced ham will work.

Take care not to overcook the somen noodles. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water and ice cubes or place in a large bowl with ice water. The noodles should retain their springy texture and not be mushy.

Everyone will fall in love with this somen salad, and for good reason. It can be made a day in advance, is perfect for a potluck (New Year’s Eve!), is budget friendly and most of all it is plain delicious.

Tips for making the best somen salad:

*Use a large tall pot to boil the noodles as they have a tendency to foam up so you need that extra space!

*Watch over the stove when boiling the noodles and cook for exactly 3 minutes or according to package directions stirring occasionally. Immediately drain the noodles and run under cold running water with a cup of ice. Swish the noodles around the ice to cool completely. Or drain noodles and quickly place them in a large bowl of ice water. Have the ice cubes or ice bath ready before the noodles are done cooking. The noodles are very thin so any additional time they remain in the hot water means they will continue to cook.

*Slice the vegetables, egg and ham thinly so they are approximately the same size. I used packaged ham because it is so easy to slice since it is already stacked neatly. Any type of thinly sliced ham works.

*For a vegetarian version omit the ham. You can add thinly sliced pan-fried tofu strips to the salad. For a vegan version, omit the eggs and ham and add tofu as mentioned above. Or simply serve the salad with lots of crunchy veggies.

*Crispy vegetables are the key to making this noodle salad so satisfying. Quickly blanched and lightly salted bean sprouts, thinly sliced celery or daikon can be used.

*You may not need all of the dressing so it’s better to add spoonfuls as you toss the salad together.

Aunty Ruby's Somen Salad
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Aunty Ruby’s Somen Salad

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

3-4

servings

Ingredients

  • Dressing

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 4 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 4 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

  • 1 tablespoon ground sesame seeds

  • Salad

  • 1 package somen noodles (3 bundles, 8 ounces) somen noodles

  • 3 cups finely sliced iceberg lettuce

  • 2 medium carrots, julienned

  • 2 small or 1 medium Japanese cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced (seeds removed)

  • 4 ounces thinly sliced ham

  • 2 large eggs, whisked and fried in a thin layer, cooled and sliced into strips (use low heat, cooked eggs should not be browned)

  • Finely sliced green onions (optional)

  • Roasted black sesame seeds for topping salad (optional)

Directions

  • Combine sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add canola or vegetable oil, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Set aside. The dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator.
  • Have all the topping ingredients ready to go (vegetables, sliced ham, cooked and sliced egg). This can be done the same morning you are planning to serve the somen salad. Keep refrigerated.
  • Cook the somen for exactly 3 minutes (or even a few seconds less) or according to package directions. Immediately drain and place the noodles in an ice bath or run cold water and ice cubes over the noodles to cool quickly. Drain the somen well in a colander. With a double layer of paper towels in one hand, lift some of the noodles with the other hand and gently dab off excess water that may be dripping from the noodles (don’t leave noodles on towels as they tend to stick). Continue with the rest of the noodles transferring them to a low sided serving bowl as you go. This will ensure there is no excess water in the serving bowl.
  • Layer with toppings: iceberg lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, ham, egg. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds if using. You can chill the salad until ready to serve. The noodles should be very cold, not room temperature. If serving right away, make sure to chill the noodles in an ice bath before continuing with layering the topping ingredients. Spoon some of the dressing over the noodles right before serving. Toss, adding more as needed. The noodles should be well coated with the delicious dressing.

Notes

  • Recipe can be doubled (or more) to feed a larger group of people.
Cookies, Dessert, Holiday Treats, Lactose Free, Recipes

Gingerbread Cookies

December 16, 2024

It’s that time of the year to bake up a batch of these gingerbread cookies for family and friends. I can’t think of another holiday cookie that brings such a big smile to everyone who receives one of these adorable treats. Once baked and cooled, the fun begins with decorating the gingerbread cookies.

In preparation of making these cookies:

*Check the freshness of your spices especially those that you only use occasionally.

*Meringue powder is the way to go when icing the cookies. Here on Maui they sell Wilton’s brand at Walmart and Safeway.

*Having a small squeeze bottle to decorate the cookies is very useful. It will allow you to draw fine lines and fill in small areas on the cookies.

*Use currants (smaller than raisins) for the eyes. Or skip this and use a drop of icing instead.

*Allow icing to dry thoroughly then package the cookies and freeze for optimal freshness if making days in advance.

Mele Kalikimaka!

Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Smoker, Summertime Meal

Smoked Chicken Breasts

December 14, 2024

These scrumptious smoked chicken breasts are the bomb! They are tender, juicy and smoky. A quick brine ensures they are moist throughout. They are very versatile and go well with numerous side dishes. They will definitely be the star of your meal.

Sometimes I serve them fancy, draped with béarnaise sauce, and other times with smoky baked beans (why not make use of the smoker?) or simply sliced for sandwiches with a slice of pepper jack cheese, lots of Dijon mustard and crunchy iceberg lettuce.

I highly recommend brining the chicken breasts. It only takes a few hours and the brine is quick to prepare. You can also use this recipe with pork tenderloins. They turn out juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

A dry rub seasons the chicken while it’s smoking. It gives the chicken a gorgeous color and ensures the chicken is full of flavor.

During the last phase of smoking, move the chicken to a pan, add butter and cover tightly with foil. This step is crucial to ensure the chicken is juicy and tender without having a dry, tough exterior.

These mouth watering smoked chicken breasts are out of this world.

Smoked Chicken Breasts
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Smoked Chicken Breasts

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

6-8

servings

Recipe adapted from Celebration Generation blog
Special Equipment: Pellet Smoker, Digital Thermometer
Optional: Smoke Tube, Digital Remote BBQ Thermometer

Chicken

  • 6 large fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 cups ice water

  • 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Morton’s kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds

  • 1 large garlic clove, pressed

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 small-medium lemon sliced into wedges

  • Dry Rub

  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon onion powder

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked fine sea salt (or regular salt) or 3 teaspoons smoked flaky salt such as Maldon

  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

  • Measure 2 cups of water into a medium pot. Add the salt, honey or maple syrup, peppercorns, mustard seeds, pressed garlic clove, bay leaf, and sliced lemon wedges. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Remove pot from heat, transfer brine to a large bowl. Add 2 cups of ice water and stir to combine. Place bowl in the refrigerator to completely cool, about 1 hour. You can speed up the process by placing the bowl in an ice bath.
  • Place chicken breasts in the bowl with the cooled brine and cover with plastic wrap, or transfer the brine and chicken to a zip top freezer bag placed in a bowl (just in case of leakage). Let chicken brine for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
  • Remove chicken from the brine, pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. If you have time, place the chicken on a plate and return to the refrigerator uncovered, to air-dry for 30-60 minutes. Otherwise, continue with coating the chicken with the dry rub.
  • Preheat smoker to 225 degrees. For additional smoky flavor, use a pellet smoke tube. Place it on one side of the smoker. We use the A-Maze-N Smoke Tube. If you have a remote BBQ thermometer set it to 135 degrees and insert it into the thickest part of one of the chicken breasts. Smoke the chicken for 2 hours or until a thermometer reads 135 degrees. Transfer chicken (probe in place, reset to 157-160 degrees) to a disposable aluminum pan. Place a few cubes (about 1/2 tablespoon each cube) on top of each chicken breast. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Turn smoker temperature up to 265 degrees. Continue to cook chicken for another 20-30 minutes or until it reaches 157-160 degrees.
  • Slice smoked chicken into 1/3-1/2 inch slices. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce, béarnaise sauce, or honey mustard dip. Leftover chicken makes the best smoked chicken sammies.

Notes

  • Leftover whole chicken breasts can be vacuum sealed and frozen for a few months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and slice thinly for a delicious sandwich.
Appetizers, Breakfast, Eggs, French, Lactose Free, Recipes

Oeufs Jeannette

December 8, 2024

I was scrolling through some short videos and landed upon Jacques Pepin making what he called Ouefs Jeannette. As an egg lover, I was immediately drawn to the recipe.

Named after his mother, this is one of Jacques’s favorite dishes. Reminiscent of deviled or stuffed eggs, a quick sauté takes this dish to another level. The tops of the eggs take on a beautiful brown crust, making this egg dish uniquely interesting and flavorful. The sauce served along with the eggs is like icing on the cake.

Perfectly browned eggs atop a mustard sauce makes a splendid meal anytime of the day.

A few common ingredients are all you need for this recipe. You can make 4 eggs, 6 eggs, or more for a larger group. A frisée salad or juicy sliced tomatoes and good crusty bread make the perfect accompaniments for these scrumptious eggs.

The cooked egg yolks are mixed with parsley, garlic, a little milk to bind it together, salt and pepper.

A bit of the egg yolk mixture is reserved for the sauce. The remainder is spooned back into the egg whites.

The reserved egg yolk mixture is combined with Dijon mustard, a bit of water, a dash of vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. The sauce makes this simple dish pure luxury.

Serve the eggs with pan-fried sourdough bread drizzled with olive oil to soak up all of the tasty mustard sauce.

Oeufs Jeannette
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Oeufs Jeannette

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

2

servings

Adapted from Jacques Pepin’s recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 small garlic clove, finely minced

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

  • salt and pepper

  • canola or vegetable oil for frying

  • Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons reserved egg yolk mixture

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (substitute with white wine or champagne vinegar)

  • 2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • salt and pepper

Directions

  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently lower eggs into the water. Bring back to a gentle boil adjusting heat as needed. Gently boil for 10 minutes. Immediately remove eggs to an ice bath to cool for 7-8 minutes.
  • Peel cooled eggs and cut in half as you would for deviled eggs. Remove the yolks and place in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Mix the yolks with the garlic, parsley, milk, salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be a bit moist, and hold together. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture and set aside. Spoon the remaining mixture back into the hollow egg whites. The mixture should be relatively level with the egg whites.
  • Whisk the reserved 2 tablespoons egg yolk mixture with Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of water, and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (to start). Slowly add the olive oil whisking to emulsify the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding a dash more vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing onto a small serving plate. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable or canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the eggs stuffed side down. Cook for 2 minutes or until the eggs are golden brown. Arrange the eggs on the dressing. Serve Oeufs Jeannette with crusty sourdough bread and a salad for brunch or lunch.
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