Red Beans and Rice

Seamus and I have have traveled to New Orleans three times since we have been together. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that is our favorite US city to visit. We love the food, the music, and all of the fun that we always find when we are in town.

Recently two good friends of ours that we lived with in Hawaii, Bob and Dorothy, moved to New Orleans. We went down to to visit them last year for New Years Eve. We had a fantastic time, and one of the highlights was when Bob cooked red beans and rice for us at their home.

Shea cooked the beans listed below, and I loved them. They instantly took me back to my memories of New Orleans, a place so fun that even when it is time to go home you just want to turn back for one more bowl of cajun food and an abita ale!

Red Beans and Rice

Courtesy of Allrecipes.com at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/authentic-louisiana-red-beans-and-rice/

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 8 servings   

• 1 pound dry kidney beans
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups long grain white rice

1. Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
4. Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

I was out at a Korean Karaoke party with my friends from work, so Shea made this dish on his own. According to Shea:

"I was planning on making eggplant meatballs but realized I had to bake the eggplant for an hour before even getting started. Being hungry, I briefly considered grabbing a Jumbo Slice but it was raining and the fridge was stocked so I figured I'd try this recipe instead. I also though Kyna was eating Korean food at karaoke so this would spare her having to eat it twice in a row.

The recipe calls for cooking everything separately so it took me a while to make, but the end product was great. I added a poached egg to the top of mine and a liberal amount of Sriracha. I also forgot to make the sweet soy sauce for the zucchini but it turned out well anyways. I would definitely make it again, good leftovers as well, although tofu never tastes as good cold."

Crispy Tofu Bibimbap with Mustard Greens & Zucchini 

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/crispy-tofu-bibimbap-with-mustard-greens-and-zucchini

1.  tablespoon rice vinegar
2. 1 teaspoon sugar
3. 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
4. 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
5. Kosher salt
6. 1 cup sushi rice
7. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8. 2 garlic cloves, minced
9. 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps thickly sliced
10. One 14-ounce box extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 3-by- 1/3-inch sticks
11. One 12-ounce bunch of mustard greens—stems and inner ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
12. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13. 1 small zucchini, cubed
14. 2 tablespoons kecap manis(Indonesian sweet soy sauce) or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon of molasses
15. 4 scallions, thinly sliced
16. Gochujang (Korean chile paste, see Note) or Sriracha, for serving

1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar with the sugar, cucumbers, 1 teaspoon of the ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with 1 1/3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over very low heat until tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and shiitake, season with salt and cook over high heat, stirring, until browned, 6 minutes; scrape onto a platter. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and add the tofu. Cook over high heat, turning, until browned, 5 minutes. Scrape the tofu onto the platter, keeping it separate from the mushrooms.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the mustard greens and sesame oil, season with salt and cook until the greens are wilted and just tender, 4 minutes. Add the greens to the platter. Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the zucchini and cook over high heat until softened, 3 minutes. Add the kecap manis and cook until the zucchini is glazed, 1 minute; scrape onto the platter. Keep warm.
5. Mound the rice in bowls and arrange the cooked vegetables in separate piles. Using a slotted spoon, add the pickled cucumbers to the bowls. Garnish with the scallions and a dollop of gochujang and serve.

Smoked Salmon with Watercress and Snap Pea Salad

I'm sure I have written about Shea's love of smoked salmon before; when we saw that smoked salmon was 50% off at the grocery store, we knew that we needed to buy some.

This dish is so simple, yet so delicious. The watercress and snap pea salad took about 10 minutes to make, and was so flavorful and full of texture that it didn't even really need the salmon, although it was a delicious addition. If you are short on time and want a fresh dinner, this is a great option.

Smoked Salmon with Watercress and Snap Pea Salad

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-with-watercress-and-sugar-snap-salad

1. 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
2. 3/4 pound thin-sliced smoked salmon
3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6. 3 tablespoons olive oil
7. 2 bunches watercress (about 5 ounces each), tough stems removed
8. 4 scallions including green tops, cut into thin diagonal slices

1. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the snap peas until just barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Arrange the salmon on individual plates, overlapping the slices as necessary. In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the oil slowly, whisking. Add the snap peas, watercress and scallions and toss. Mound the salad in the center of each plate and serve.

MAKE AHEAD You can cook the snap peas a day ahead and refrigerate. Trim the watercress several hours in advance, cover with damp paper towels and refrigerate. Slice the scallions ahead, too, wrap and refrigerate.

Creamy Squash Macaroni and Cheese

I loved eating my mom's homemade macaroni and cheese when I was growing up. I dabbled in eating boxed macaroni and cheese in college, too. It wasn't really until I realized how bad for you macaroni and cheese is that I stopped eating it on a frequent basis. Since then, I have always been intrigued by recipes that claim to make this decadent dish more healthy (like my earlier post, "carrot macaroni and cheese".

This dish combines another ingredient that I love to eat with pasta (besides cheese), squash. The squash turns out rich and creamy, and even looks like cheese when this dish is finished. I liked this dish a lot, but Shea was definitely on squash overload this week, so I had to eat basically the entire pan by myself!

Creamy Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Courtesy of Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-light-macaroni-cheese-50400000115195/

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth $
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk $
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled $
• 2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt $
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided $
• 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
• Cooking spray $
• 1 teaspoon olive oil $
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. 2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. 3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
4. 4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. 5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
6. 6. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Everyone I knew in college loved to go to P.F. Chang's for their lettuce wraps. I have had them several times, and I have to admit, they are pretty good (and surprisingly, so is their Mai Thai!). This recipe is a vegetarian take on that same dish, using tofu instead of chicken.

I love peanut sauces, and I thought that adding the sauteed shallots to this sauce was a great addition that I haven't done in the past. Shea thought that the sauce was too heavy on the hoisin, making it too sweet. I, on the other hand, really enjoyed it.

This recipe made a TON of food, so feel free to half it if you are cooking for two!

Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Courtesy of Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hoisin-peanut-lettuce-wraps-50400000121404/

Ingredients

• 
  Sauce:
• 1 teaspoon canola oil $
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter $
• 4 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice $
• Filling:
• 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 6 thinly sliced green onions (about 2/3 cup), divided $
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce $
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons sugar $
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
• 1 cup matchstick-cut cucumbers $
• 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots $
• 2 cups hot cooked sticky rice
• 8 Bibb lettuce leaves

1. 1. To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallot, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and next 3 ingredients (through red pepper), and stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.
2. 2. To prepare filling, spread crumbled tofu in a single layer on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 20 minutes, pressing down occasionally.
3. 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1/3 cup green onions; sauté 1 minute. Add tofu; sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and Sriracha; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cucumbers, carrots, and remaining green onions.
4. 4. Spoon 1/4 cup rice into each lettuce leaf. Top with about 1/2 cup tofu mixture; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cilantro. Serve with sauce.

Peruvian Shrimp-and-Corn Chowder

I had a late night at school, so Seamus was on for making dinner. As I walked in the apartment, I smelled a sweet and savory aroma and I called out to Shea, "smells good!".

He promptly replied "It had better smell good after all the work I put into it!".

Seamus spent some time visiting Peru the summer before he and I met. I loved looking through his photos on facebook of him hanging out in hammocks and sliding down sand dunes when I was first starting to get to know him. I suspect that this trip had something to do with his choice of dinner tonight, a Peruvian dish that includes shrimp (which was on sale at the grocery store).

While the dish took Seamus longer than he would have liked to make, I thought it turned out well with sweet and spicy tastes that reminded me of Peruvian ceviche. He, however, didn't think it was worth the effort. Try it and you can decide!

Peruvian Shrimp-and-Corn Chowder

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/peruvian-shrimp-and-corn-chowder

1. 3 tablespoons cooking oil
2. 1 pound unpeeled medium shrimp
3. 3 teaspoons salt
4. 1 onion, chopped
5. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
6. 1/2 teaspoon paprika
7. 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
8. Dash Tabasco sauce
9. 1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
10. 1/2 small head green cabbage (about 1 1/4 pounds), chopped (about 1 quart)
11. 1 pound baking potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
12. 4 ears of corn, halved
13. 2 quarts water
14. 1 cup heavy cream
15. 1 cup frozen peas (optional)

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the shrimp and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel them and set aside.
2. Add the onion, cayenne, paprika, cumin, and another teaspoon of the salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the Tabasco, squash, cabbage, potatoes, corn, and water to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the peeled shrimp, the remaining teaspoon of salt, and the peas, if using. Cook until the shrimp are just heated through, about 2 minutes.