Radicchio wedge salad with orange fennel vinaigrette

I've developed a minor obsession with radicchio over the last couple years. With its bitterness, crunch, pepperiness, silky outer leaves, and brilliant color, it is an interesting ingredient. The fun in working with unique and big flavors like radicchio is in finding the right combination of things to pair it with. For this recipe, grilling radicchio to make the bitterness stand out even more is a fun trick that I've pursued. Then I tame it with sweet and sour of the dressing, along with the big velvety flavor of blue cheese and the crunchy earthiness of nuts. The crispness of optional some brightly-flavored vegetables adds additional interest. While I'm not a fan of a traditional wedge salad, this super unique take on it does the trick every time. If I owned a restaurant, this would undoubtedly be my house salad (which would cost a tidy sum due to the outrageous cost of radicchio). 

Prep time: 1 cocktail

Fennel seed, orange, and dijon vinaigrette
1 tsp whole fennel seeds, toasted a bit and lightly ground up with a mortar and pestle
1/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1 tsp grated shallot, using a microplane or the finest side of a box grater
1 TBSP dijon mustard
1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

Salad base
1 large head radicchio (~6+ inches in diamater) or a couple smaller heads
2 ounces blue cheese crumbles
Toasted hazelnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios, chopped up a bit

Optional salad additions
Prepared farro or Israeli couscous (chilled and seasoned with salt and pepper) or delicate lettuce like bibb lettuce
Ribbons of celery, made with a vegetable peeler
Thinly sliced radish
Roasted, diced beets

Preheat a grill to a medium setting or a frying pan with a little canola or avocado oil on medium-high to high heat. Quarter the radicchio so that you cut through the stem core, which prevents the leaves from separating and falling off the head. If grilling, brush the radicchio with some oil. Add the radicchio and char the segments on each of their three sides, getting them a fairly well blackened, but not totally burned (this is maybe 2-6 minutes per side). Remove from heat and transfer to a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, until cold.

While radicchio is cooking (or while it cools), whisk together all dressing ingredients. 

Once the radicchio has chilled, arrange your salad. Start with a bed of lettuce, couscous, or farro, if you're using any of these. Then top with the radicchio (or just start with the radicchio on fresh plates, if not using a base). Sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles. Add any of the other salad additions that you might want (if any). Sprinkle the nuts on top and drizzle with dressing.

Enjoy!

Colorado-style restaurant red enchilada sauce

In Colorado, we have a spin on Mexican food that's distinct from other regions like Texas or New Mexico (not to mention Mexico itself). This recipe is a dead ringer for Colorado diner-style enchilada sauce, which is similar to New Mexican but we add tomato sauce and use less chili powder. The result is a somewhat more complex and layered sauce. If you've ever had red enchilada sauce in my fair state, it's some variation of this recipe. And this is light years ahead of the weird, off-tasting premade red slop theyt sell at the supermarket in cans. It's well worth the few extra minutes to use this instead of premade to really amp up your meal! This also is great on eggs, potatoes, tacos, chilaquiles, or damn near anything else.

Prep time: 1/4 cocktail

1/3 cup neutral cooking oil (like canola or avacado -- don't use olive oil)
1/3 cup white flour
1/3-1/2 cup chili powder, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Several pinches white pepper (optional)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
3 cups vegetable stock

Salt to taste

Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and white pepper (if using) in a small bowl.

Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Add the spice combo and whisk constantly for 1 more minute. Slowly add the tomato sauce, still whisking continuously. Then, slowly add the veg stock while continuing to whisk. Simmer for 1 more minute and adjust salt to taste. You can cook down for a while if you prefer a thicker sauce, but it's normally served somewhat thin when you have it here. 

Vegan (or not) kimchi tuna melt

If you didn't already know, you can make a vegetarian tuna salad with mashed garbanzo means instead of tuna and the flavor profile and texture are almost identical. This takes the concept and elevates it more with kimchi. It's a kinda-healthy-kinda-indulgent, unique, delicious lunch!

Kimchi "tuna" salad:

1 cup kimchi, chopped up, retain the juices
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (or 2-3 cans tuna), drained
1/3 cup mayonnaise (vegan or non vegan)
1 TBSP rice vinegar
Dash of fish sauce (optional but highly recommended)
1-2 TBSP dijon or Korean mustard
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 scallions, sliced
1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

3/4-1 tsp ginger grated with a microplane

Small handful sesame seeds, shelled sunflower seeds, or a combination

For the sandwiches:

Good sandwich bread (I recommend good artisnal sourdough, but any sandwich bread will do)
Cheese (vegan or normal): sharp cheddar, grueyere, or brie are all great options

Bonito flakes (nori strips are a good vegan substution)
Veggies (optional) (quick pickled carrots or cucumbers, sprouts, fried plantains, smashed avacado, or sliced jalepenos are all great)

Soft fried egg (optional)

Optional step: if kimchi has too much of a bite, you can caramelize it a little on the stovetop before making the "tuna" salad. This will sweeten and mellow the kimchi a fair amount. 

Combine garbanzos, mayo, vinegar, fish sauce, and mustard in a medium mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher until you get a tuna salad consistency.

Stir in kimchi (caramelized or raw -- and don't forget the juices), celery, scallions, sesame oil, ginger, and seeds. Adjust flavors to taste. 

Make the sandwiches like any tuna melt: heat a skillet and brush bread with oil or some butter, add tuna salad and cheese and cook until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. 

Remove from heat, open sandwich up, add bonito flakes to taste, veggies, and egg (if using). Put the sandwich back together and enjoy!

Salsa de arbol base recipe

 

This is my base recipe for salsa de arbol. It can be sexed up with just about nything: cilantro, a bit of additional raw onion, charred bell pepper, spices... whatever. 

Heat levels depend on how many chiles de arbol you use:

• 2-4 chiles = mild salsa
• 6-8 chiles = medium salsa
• 10-12 chiles = hot salsa
• 16+ chilies = EXTRA spicy

Prep time: 1/4 cocktail

2-20+ chiles de arbol (see note above)
2-4 guajilio chilies
1-1.25 pounds roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 large onion, peeled and quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled (left whole)
Optional: a couple jalepenos, de-stemmed and sliced lengthwise
1 tsp powdered bullion (I use Knorr tomato chicken, available at Mexican grocers)
1/2 tsp salt

Lime juice or apple cider vinegar to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Place arbols and guajilio on a baking sheet and bake until they change colors and get aromatic. This can happen fast -- don't burn them. You just want a light toast.

Transfer toasted chilies to a small pan, add just enough water to submerge them fairly well. Put on the stovetop and bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat and set aside to cool.

On your now empty baking sheet, arrange the tomatoes and onions (and jalepenos if using) in a single layer on baking sheet. Put into oven and bake for 10-20 minutes, or until the bottoms of the veggies are blistering and charred a bit. 

Add the garlic to the baking sheet and change oven setting to broil. Cook until the veggies are nice and blistered and a little charred on top too, about 10-20 more minutes (but will vary on individual ovens).

Now, remove stems from soaked guajilios and transfer the soaked peppers, roasted veggies, bullion, and salt to blender. Blend until you have a nice salsa consistency (do not overblend). Add water, if you want a thinner consistency. 

Add lemon or vinegar to taste and adjust salt. Chill and serve.

Base recipe: Taqueria emulsified habenero salsa

 

This is my standard base recipe for what might be my favorite salsa. Though it has a couple habeneros, it's actually pretty mild, as the roasting process and addition of oil takes the bite out of it. This is a delicious, complex salsa that you can add other veggies or spices to if you want. But the base version itself is also perfect. Recipe makes 1 quart.

Prep time: 1/2 cocktail

1/2 orange bell papper, guts removed and sliced in half (into two quarters)
2 habeneros, sliced in half lenthwise and de-stemmed
4 large roma tomatoes, quartered lenthwise (about 1-1.25 pounds)
1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced into quarters
2-3 large tomatillos, dehusked and sliced in half

3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola (NOT olive oil)

2 tsp powdered bullion (I use Knorr tomato chicken, available at any Mexicn grocer)
1 tsp sugar
A few tiny dashes white vinegar (to taste)

Salt to taste (may not be needed, depending on bullion used)

Preheat oven to 375 (not in convection mode--you want the veggies to roast from the bottom.

Arrange the following in a single layer on baking sheet (a layer of aluminum foil can make cleanup a lot easier): bell pepper, habeneros, tomatoes, onion, and tomatillos. Put into oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the bottoms of the veggies are blistering and charred a bit. 

Add the garlic to the baking sheet and change oven setting to broil. Cook until the veggies are nice and blistered and a little charred on top too, about 5-10 more minutes (but will vary on individual ovens).

Once veggies are nicely roasted, transfer them all to a blender with oil, bullion, and sugar. Puree until it is a nice, totally smooth consistency. Adjust flavor with white vinegar, salt (I usually add ~1/2 tsp of both salt and vinegar), and additional sugar, if necessary. You can also add a little water if you want a thinner consistency. Cool and serve. 

Xawaash

This is a Somali spice mix used in a ton of different dishes.

2 cinnamon sticks
2 TBSP black peppercorns
1/2 cup whole cumin seed
1/2 cup whole corriander seeds
8 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 tsp ground turmeric

Break the cinnamon stick up into a few smaller pieces with your hands. Place all ingredients except turmeric in a medium dry frying pan on medium heat.

Lightly toast spices, stirring constantly, as they become highly aromatic and start to turn a tad darker color (but not burned). When finished, transfer to an electric spice or coffee grinder and grind into a powder. Add turmeric, and store in a cool, dark place with an airtight lid. 

Somali chickpea and potato stew

This is an adapted version of Somali beef stew, bariis maraq, but I use chickpeas instead of beef. But if you want something a little more meaty, I recommend using 1 pound of seitan that is chopped into steak-like strips or pieces, sautéed until a tad browned, then added to the stew 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking. 

Prep time: 2 cocktails

1 very large red onion (or 2 medium onions), finely minced a food processor is great for this, just don't make it completely into a slurry
3 TBSP neutral-tasting oil, like canola or avacado
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP Xawaash
2 potatoes, chopped into 3/4" cubes
2 TBSP tomato paste or ~2 tomatoes chopped
6 stalks celery (chopped in half or thirds, so they fit inside pan)
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained

1 red bell pepper and/or 1-2 carrots, all chopped (both are optional)
3-4 cups veggie stock homemade or store-bought

Lime wedges and cilantro for serving

Fried banana wheels for serving, optional

Heat a dry large medium to large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add onions and dry-saute for 5-8 minutes, until the onion have become a little translucent and soft and might stick just a tiny bit to the bottom of the pan.

Increase heat to medium-high, add oil, stir well and then stir in garlic. Saute garlic 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add spice mixture and stir frequently for 1 more minute.

Add potatoes, tomato paste, celery stalks, garbanzos, carrots/bell pepper (if using), and stock. Stir well and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes are fully cooked, about 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Once cooked, remove lid, discard celery, and cook until desired consistency is reached (should be a nice thick stew that can be served over rice). If too thick, add a little water or stock. Adjust salt and seasoning. Finish with a few squeezes of lime and a sprinkle of cilantro leaves, as well as fried banana, if eating.

The most legit vegetarian BBQ you're ever gonna find. Really.

This is a bit of a labor of love that I've been working on for a while now. While I normally avoid vegetarian facsimiles of meaty meals, this is an exception. Even as a vegetarian for decades, I still occasionally miss the smoky goodness of a pulled pork sandwich or the tangy richness of a brisket slow cooked all night then finished with homemade bbq sauce. Developing a good, realistic-tasting BBQ sandwich has been on my to-do list for a long time. So long, in fact, that I 'test kitchened' this recipe extensively the last few months, making literally dozens of different variations, until I landed on this, the ideal vegetarian bbq sandwich. It is smoky, tangy, rich, satisfying. 

Note that I also use homemade BBQ sauce for this. Just about every store-bought sauce is too sugary and without adequate vinegary bite to make this recipe work. So I don't recommend you use any store-bought BBQ sauce. 

You'll need some way to smoke some of your ingredients. You can obviously use a standalone outdoor smoker. I actually use an indoor smoker: the Nordic Ware kettle smoker. Don't own a smoker? NO PROBLEM! The internet is loaded with different ways to make your own homemade version. Most of these require little more than a Dutch oven with a heavy lid, some aluminum foil, a steamer basket or strainer, and smoker wood chips (available online or at any gourmet store or retailer that sells grilling supplies). It's easy to make either an outdoor version or a stovetop version for smoking inside.

Finally, you need to start this a day or so ahead of time, since you need to freeze and then thaw the tofu. Freezing it significantly changes the texture and ability to soak up the marinade, so this is a pretty essential step. 

This makes about 6 'brisket' sandwiches.

Prep time: 3 cocktails

Tofu + Marinade
1 15-ounce brick of tofu
3 TBSP orange juice

1 TBSP miso paste

2-3 TBSP canola oil
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP red wine

Several dashes of MSG or dried mushroom powder (optional)

~1/2 cup smoked walnuts (optional, see note below)

The BBQ sauce

6 TBSP butter 

1 cup of my Bold Boulder BBQ Sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp agave or honey

Fixings

Buns

Grated high-end white cheddar

Chopped scallions

Pickled red onions (you can use any basic online recipe)

Additional optional toppings: coleslaw, chopped pickles, fresh or pickled jalepeno, thinly sliced fresh cucumber or radish, fried shallots, avocado pieces, and/or caramelized onions.

Note on walnuts: I like to add smoked walnuts to this for two reasons: the walnuts absorb a lot of flavor when smoked, so they turbocharge the flavor of the sandwiches. The walnuts also have a texture that mimics meat a little bit when chopped up and combined with tofu. It's not exact, but it is a nice addition. Walnuts should be dry smoked (so you cannot smoke them with the tofu). I've found that 20-30 minutes is usually plenty of time in my kettle smoker, but results will vary. After smoked, transfer smoked nuts to a food processor and pulse a few times until you have mostly little pieces halfway between the size of Nerds candy pieces or a bit smaller (don't overmix, or else you risk making smoked walnut butter). Add the walnuts to the tofu after the tofu is done cooking on the stovetop in the BBQ sauce. The amount you use isn't super important, but I usually start with about 3/4 cups of whole walnuts, which breaks down to about 1/2 cup of crumbles in the food processor. 

First, you'll need to freeze the tofu completley and then let it thaw out. This gives it a meatier texture and allows it to soak up the marinade.

Next, press the tofu for an hour or so in a tofu press or wrapped in a towel and placed under a heavy pan or books. After pressed, pat tofu dry and tear it apart with your hands into "pulled pork" or "shredded chicken"-like pieces. It won't be exactly the same, but you'll discover that the tofu has a grain that you can kind of work with to get pretty close. Don't shred the pieces so small that they won't be able to sit in the smoker without falling through the grates or holes (small bite-sized pieces is good). 

Now combine all the marinade ingredients EXCEPT the tofu and walnuts in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Combine tofu cubes and marinade in an airtight container and allow to marinade a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours, stirring gently occasionally, so as to not break up the tofu pieces.

Now smoke the tofu pieces. The method will vary depending on your smoker, so it may require some experimentation. For my Nordic Ware kettle smoker, I do a 60 minute "wet" smoke at 190F on the stovetop with hickory wood chips. The liquid I like to use for smoking is 2 cans of beer, which gives the tofu a bit of extra flavor, though water is fine too. Allow to cool to room temperature after smoking. Then transfer to a plate and chill completely in the refrigerator, uncovered.

Heat your oven to 300F.

OPTIONAL STEP:  This is to give the tofu a more meaty texture, if you want. After tofu has chilled in the refrigerator, spread pieces so they're not touching on a well-greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-30 minutes, or until they have become a little more toothsome and "meaty." Remove from oven and allow to cool, but leave the oven on at 300F, as you'll be using it again shortly.

Now make the sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the BBQ sauce, sugar, and agave/honey. Stir until everything gets hot and starts to simmer. Whisk it, or, ideally, use an immersion blender, until the sauce is fully integrated. Now add your cooled tofu pieces and stir very gently with a rubber spatula, so as to not break the tofu. Bring bbq sauce/tofu to a boil and remove from heat. Now stir in those walnut pieces, if using. 

Now build your sandwiches: take a standard size cookie sheet and line with foil. Put your ~6 bun bottoms on the pan and top with the bbq tofu mixture. Now top each sandwich with a couple generous pinches of white cheddar and place the pan uncovered in the oven (you can also put the bun tops in the oven to toast as well, if you want). 

Since tofu should already be warm, all you need to do is melt the cheese, so the sandwiches likely only need to be in the oven for a few minutes. Once the cheese is melted, remove from oven, add the scallions, pickled onions, and any of the optional ingredients you might also be using. Affix the top bun and enjoy!

How to doctor fake burger meat

Have you ever noticed that Impossible and Beyond imitation ground beef smells like goddamn catfood when you open it? And while both fake meats taste a lot more like burgers compared with the fake meat product of yesteryear, they still aren't marvelous. This is my quick hack to make those products taste (and smell) a lot better!

You can also get creative with this. In addition to what's below, I sometimes add dried mushroom powder or fresh mushroom pieces, very finely minced onion, fresh herbs, or spices. Just try to remember that you're just doctoring the meat, not making meatloaf, so no need to overdo it! 

12 ounce package Impossible or Beyond fake ground beef
1/4 cup crouton dust (use the food processor to pulverize the croutons)
1 TBSP Worcestershire
1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 TBSP raw scrambled egg or Just Egg
1/2 tsp MSG
Healthy dose of black pepper
2-3 pinches garlic powder
A couple pinches sugar (optional)

Mix all ingredients well with your hands and then form into patties and cook in your normal manner.

Simple tapenade

Great for anytime you need a quick dip, sandwich addition, or spread! I like the big, salty flavor of a Kalamata for this if it is for a dip. But a tapenade with more delicate and mild olives is great for topping fish, chicken, or grilled vegetables (where I might add some garlic as well). You can also experiment both the ratios below and with other ingredients as well. This is a great base recipe!

Prep time: 1/4 cocktail

1 1/2 cup pitted olives, Kalamatas and/or other olive varieties, drained and lightly rinsed
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup olive oil
1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice + 1/2 tsp of the grated zest 
2 anchovy filets (optional)
1-2 TBSP capers + 1/2 tsp caper brine
2 TBSP shallots, finely minced
1/4 cup pine nuts
Black pepper to taste

You can lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan if you would like, as this brings out their full flavor. But this is an optional step. 

Combine everything EXCEPT capers, shallots, pine nuts, and pepper in food processor. Pulse the mixture until you reach the desired consistency (finely broken down but not all the way into a paste). 

Transfer olive mixture to a bowl and stir in capers, shallots, pine nuts, and pepper. 

Adjust seasoning to taste.

(Sometimes the ingredients will release liquid and it'll pool a little if the tapenade stands fro a few minutes. You can add a couple pinches of bread crumbs to absorb excess liquid. Just don't add so much bread crumbs that you change the flavor or texture of the final product.)