Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

I found this delectable sandwich during my hunt for dairy-free recipes. I didn't get around to trying it until just recently. But I wish I hadn't waited. It was insanely delicious. If you're not familiar with the bahn mi, essentially it's just a Vietnamese sandwich. "Bahn mi" literally means bread or baguette, which, as I just learned, was introduced to the country by French colonists. The chewy-soft rolls are commonly filled with meat, picked vegetables, cilantro, and finished with a spicy mayo. This version is stuffed with plump pork meatballs, along with the traditional fixings. The meatballs were warm and juicy, bursting with basil, garlic, and chili flavors- the perfect contrast to the sweet pickled carrot and radish and creamy hot mayonnaise. If you want to lighten things up, try using ground chicken or turkey. And if you're feeling extra lazy, you could simply use thinly sliced or shredded roasted chicken breast- you'll still have an awesome sandwich.

Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

INGREDIENTS
Pork Meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork (or chicken or turkey)
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:
2 cups carrot, coarsely grated or julienned
2 cups daikon (japanese radish) or regular radish, coarsely grated or julienned
1 cup white onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Hot Chili Mayonnaise:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4 french rolls or pieces sliced baguette
cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
jalapeno, thinly sliced into rings (optional)
fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
1. To prepare the meatballs: Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl and form into 1-inch meatballs (should yield about 24). Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

2. To prepare the pickled vegetables: In a medium bowl dissolve sugar in rice vinegar and season with kosher salt. Toss with carrot, daikon, and onion. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour (or refrigerate if made farther in advance).

3. To prepare the hot chili mayonnaise: Stir to combine mayonnaise, green onion, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

4. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You may want to divide the meatballs up and cook them in two batches.) Add meatballs and saute until browned and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat if the meatballs are browning too quickly. (Already cooked meatballs can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 300 F oven.)

5. To assemble the sandwiches: Slice rolls in half and remove enough bread out of the center so you have a 1/2-inch thick shell. Spread with hot chili mayo. Arrange cucumber, jalapeno (optional), and cilantro on the bottom halves. Top with meatballs and pickled vegetables and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken, Chickpea, and Apricot Tagine

One of my favorite restaurants back in Richmond served, among other incredible things, the most delicious Moroccan tagine. I'd always hoped to find a recipe that allowed me to replicate it at home. Or at least come close. And here it is. In the eloquent words of Wikepedia, tagines are "slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce". They are actually named after the pot in which they are traditionally cooked, which is this cute little triangular dish with a chimney. While you are welcome to go out and pick yourself up a tagine, it won't be necessary. This recipe uses the slow-cooker to achieve the same result- with little time or fuss.

While I find this recipe to be near perfect as is, it would be easily amenable to changes. Throw in a few extra vegetables such as cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or squash. (I would wait and add softer ones partway through cooking so they don't turn to mush.) Or try it with pork or lamb. And in case you're wondering, ras el hanout is simply a Moroccan spice blend. It can be found at some upscale groceries (try Whole Foods), online, or you can make it yourself (links below).

Slow-cooker Moroccan Chicken, Chickpea, and Apricot Tagine

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. honey
4 tsp. ras el hanout (available here, or try this recipe)
1 tsp. turmeric (or a pinch of saffron)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground coriander
up to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I only used ~1/4 tsp.)
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 cans diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted crushed tomatoes)
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 oz. dried apricots, diced (or you can leave them whole, but I prefer the texture of them diced)
3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 preserved lemon, cut into wedges (optional, I omitted)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

fresh cilantro, chopped for serving
cous cous or rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, tomato paste, honey, and spices and cook for another minute. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and cook for several minutes, making sure to get out any lumps of flour. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Combine the tomato/spice mixture with the chickpeas, apricots, chicken thighs, carrots, and lemon (if using) in a large slower cooker, mixing well. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Serve over cous cous or rice, topped with fresh cilantro.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Food.com)

Shrimp Fajtas

I already had a shrimp fajita recipe in my archives. But it has been replaced. There was nothing wrong with it- it was an excellent recipe. But this one is even better. I've made it twice now in the last few weeks. I served it to my parents this weekend when they came to visit and they too thought it was fantastic. And it's easily adaptable (and just as tasty) if you're eating dairy-free: just forego the sour cream.

Shrimp Fajitas

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil + extra for sautéing
1 large white onion, sliced into thin wedges
2-3 bell peppers (I used yellow, red, and green), seeded and sliced into thin strips

for serving:
warmed flour tortillas
guacamole or avocado
salsa or pico de gallo
sour cream
cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl combine the spices and brown sugar. Set aside 1 Tbsp. of the spice mixture for later. Add the shrimp, garlic, and olive oil and toss to coat.

2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften and brown, about 4 minutes. Add the peppers and continue to saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining spice mixture and continue to cook until the onions and peppers are tender, another couple minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetables; toss to combine and reheat. Serve with warm flour tortillas and the other optional toppings.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)

Turkey Pinto Bean Chili

As much as I hate saying goodbye to summer, I get excited about fall every year. Particularly the food. Apples and pears, pumpkin and squash. Hearty and comforting dishes like casseroles and stews and chili. I was made for warmer weather (probably the only thing I'll miss about being pregnant is not having that internal heater all winter). But I fully embrace boots and scarves and warm bowls of soup. I'm not gonna lie- I'm terrified of what's coming. I hear Chicago gets ugly this time of year. That there is snow and wind and COLD coming my way. So far my only strategy for surviving these impending months is hiding out in my kitchen with my hot oven, a pile of recipes, and baby girl in tow.

This chili has been sitting in my "recipe box" all year waiting for the right moment to be shared. I fused two similar Bon Appetit recipes to come up with this one. Simple to prepare and full of flavor (which gets even better as leftovers), this dish'll keep you toasty and full. (And it can be made dairy-free by opting for the cocoa powder or using milk-free chocolate chips.)

Turkey Pinto Bean Chili

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground turkey thigh
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate OR 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cans pinto beans (I used 2 cans pinto and 1 can white/Great Northern beans)
28 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for serving (optional):
chopped cilantro
diced red or green onion
sour cream or plain yogurt
sharp cheddar

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the turkey thigh and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, bay leaf, and chocolate. Add beans, tomatoes with their juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes- 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with optional toppings.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit and Bon Appetit)

Mexican Pork Kebabs

My love affair with pork persists... bacon, pulled pork, pork roast, but particularly pork tenderloin. Usually I don't mess much with such a perfect cut of meat. I might give it a gentle spice or herb rub or let it bathe for a few hours in marinade. And then it usually goes into the oven to get roasted whole. So this recipe, that suggested I chop it up into bite-size pieces and thread it onto skewers, made me nervous. This was new territory. But as usual, the pork tenderloin did not disappoint. It was tender and juicy and bursting with flavor. I couldn't resist wrapping my pork morsels in a warm tortillas and devouring them taco-style with salsa and guacamole. I find that avocado goes well with just about everything. But especially in this case. The only way to mess this dish up would be to overcook the meat. Take it off the grill before it is fully cooked through. (It will continue cooking even further once removed from the heat.) Ideally, pork tenderloin should remain just slightly blush/pink in the center.

Mexican Pork Kebabs

INGREDIENTS
2 pork tenderloins (approx. 1- 1 1/4 lbs. each), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1 1/2 inch thick rounds

for the marinade:
1 Tbsp. grated lime zest
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. canned chipotle in adobo, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup canola oil

for the kebabs:
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
or scallions, radishes, poblanos, etc.

for serving:
warmed flour or corn tortillas
sliced avocado or guacamole
fresh salsa or pico de gallo
chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour over the pork and marinate in the refrigerator 1-2 hours (I suspect you could go longer).

2. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Discard marinade and thread pork and vegetables onto skewers. (If you are using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water first.)

3. Grill until the pork is firm to the touch and the edges have begun to brown and the vegetables have begun to brown and soften. Serve with tortillas, avocado, salsa, and cilantro (all optional).

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)

Chocolate Coconut Bars

There aren't a lot of dessert options when you're eating dairy-free. Desserts that don't include any milk, butter, buttermilk, yogurt, cream, cream cheese, etc. are not only hard to come by, but usually not too enticing. I know dairy-free margarine and several other substitutes exist. (I've got some and I'll try them out eventually.) They just don't excite me. Thankfully, not all chocolate is made with milk (especially the dark varieties). And coconut oil makes an excellent replacement for butter in some recipes.

I just discovered coconut oil and I love it. And from what I hear/read- it happens to be good for you. I'll eat it for breakfast spread on a toasted english muffin. Yum. Anyway, its health benefits are probably negated by the copious amounts of sugar used in this recipe. But this is after all, dessert. Feel free to use butter instead. I'm sure (in fact, I know) that would be good. But the oil adds even more coconut flavor without sacrificing richness or texture in this recipe.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and at room temperature (I used 1/2 cup coconut oil)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes + extra for sprinkling on top
1 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine the flour and salt; whisk and set aside.

3. Stir together the melted butter (or coconut oil) and brown sugar until smooth and creamy; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.

4. Slowly beat in the flour and salt mixture until just blended. Next, stir in the coconut and chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the pan. Make sure the batter is spread evenly, smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle extra coconut on top of the bars.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until set in the center but still soft. (Mine were almost overly done after 18 minutes- this may be due to my hot oven or replacing the butter with coconut oil.) Do not overbake the bars. Let cool slightly before cutting the bars into squares and serving.

Makes an 8x8 pan.

(Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker via Lahatchita Eats)

Sweet Potato, Bacon, and Baked Egg Hash

I miss this. This hobby/art form/outlet of cooking and writing and photography. I realize I've been absent lately. And I have all sorts of excuses. First Clara joined our family. Then we moved and we've been adjusting to our new life in the city. Husband has a new job. I have a new home and a new very old kitchen. And as soon as I thought I was getting my groove back, baby girl started having reflux issues which led to the conclusion that I should eliminate diary from my diet (I'm breastfeeding). And along with the cheese and yogurt and ice cream, I said goodbye to piles of recipes I wanted to try and lost my culinary motivation again.

Six weeks later and I'm still dairy-free (and craving a slice of pizza like crazy), but I have learned one thing: you can survive, even eat well, without milk and all its derivatives. Baking gets tricky and dining out is barely worth the hassle. But I did discover some wonderful foods I was previously missing out on- like rice milk (which I actually prefer to the real thing) and coconut oil (to be featured in my next post).

This recipe is naturally dairy free. (Although a handful of cheddar or smoked gouda baked in would be a fabulous addition.) It's also completely hearty and delicious. Sauteed in glimmering bacon grease, the sweet potato hash is topped with cracked eggs and baked until perfectly tender and crisp. Meant for breakfast, but great for dinner. And again reheated the next morning.

Sweet Potato, Bacon, and Baked Egg Hash

INGREDIENTS
6 slices bacon
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika (I used smoked paprika)
4 large eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
green onion, sliced
cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a large oven-proof skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside on a paper towel to drain, reserving at least 1 Tbsp. of bacon grease in the pan. Crumble bacon once cooled.

3. Add the sweet potatoes to the reserved bacon grease and saute over medium-high heat until browned, about 12 minutes. Add onion and peppers and saute until softened, 6 to 8 minutes more. Stir in the cumin and paprika and crumbled bacon. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Make 4 little wells in the sweet potato mixture and crack an egg into each well. Season the eggs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and the eggs are set but the yolks are still soft, about 12 minutes. Garnish with green onion and cilantro and serve.

Serves 3-4.

(Adapted from Joy of Kosher)

Whole Wheat Orange Batter Bread

My sweet little sister made me this bread while she was visiting this weekend. It's a recipe she acquired from a cooking class in college and I've been meaning to share it with you for some time now. But I still haven't gotten back into my groove in the kitchen. So thank you, Katelyn, for this one. (She baked it, and I photographed and ate it. We should make this a permanent arrangement.) This recipe is unique in that the sticky dough completes a quick rise in a warm oven and then finishes cooking while the oven heats up. I don't know how or why it works. But it does. And it works well. This orange-infused loaf is moist and nutty and sweet. (And made with healthy whole wheat!)

Whole Wheat Orange Batter Bread

INGREDIENTS
juice 1 large fresh orange + hot water to equal 1 1/4 cups
1/2 Tbsp. active dry yeast
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. freshly grated orange rind
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Zest the orange peel.  In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup,  juice the orange and add hot tap water to equal 1 ¼ cups, dissolve yeast in this mixture.

2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

3. Add oil, honey, orange rind, salt, and half of flour to yeast and water. Mix with flat beater attachment in electric mixer.

4. Add enough of remaining flour to make a thick, sticky batter. Yes, the dough is really sticky.

5. Knead well (at least 5 minutes in your KitchenAid mixer).

6. Place dough in a well-greased loaf pan.  Put pan in warm oven. TURN OVEN OFF.

7. Let loaf sit in warm oven for 20 minutes.

8. With loaves still in oven, turn oven to 350 degrees.

9. Set timer for 30 minutes. Remove bread from oven when timer goes off. If loaves aren’t nicely browned, bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.

10. Brush with butter and remove from pan to cool. Slice and serve. (This bread freezes well.)

Makes 1 loaf.

(Adapted from For the First Thyme)

Strawberry Avocado Salad, Revisited

I'm bringing this favorite back again, updated with a new photo and addition of red onion. Now that I'm no longer pregnant I can enjoy onions again so I'm sneaking them into everything! Thin slivers of crunchy raw onion make this salad even more enticing. With strawberries and avocado tossed in a tangy sweet vinaigrette- it's the perfect start to your summer.

4/7/10: Since strawberry season will soon be upon us, I thought I'd bring back this recipe. Whenever I can get fresh strawberries, it finds our way on to our dinner menu. I'm thrilled that spring (yes it is still spring, even though at a predicted 94 F today in April, it feels much  more like summer!) has decided to stay. That means we're nearing the most wonderful time of the year- for fruit anyway! I've waited all winter long for fresh berries. Spring, I'm so glad you're here!

1/8/09: I was lucky enough to find both ripe avocados and strawberries on sale on my last grocery trip. (Not exactly in season in the dead of winter.) Although it is more of a summer dish, I couldn't wait to try this salad, which turned out to be refreshing and perfect! The dressing is sweet, yet tangy and light. I served it (paired with soup and sandwiches) to my mother and her parents who were in town for lunch today. And I determined it a success when my mother exclaimed that it was "even better than Panera!"

Strawberry Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

romaine, chopped
avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
strawberries, sliced
pecans, toasted and chopped
red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Toss the avocado in a little of the dressing to prevent browning. Place the salad greens in a bowl and top with sliced avocado and strawberries. Drizzle dressing over top, then sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Serves 2.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

French Bread

This is so easy. Seriously. I'm willing to go to great lengths to make my own bread, but in this case it wasn't necessary. I wish I'd known homemade french bread could be so quick and simple. And taste so amazing. Here's the convenient thing (or two) about this recipe: it uses instant yeast (so no proofing) and it only requires a single rise. In just about an hour I can take you from a pile of flour and yeast to what you see above. A soft, tender, golden, chewy loaf that's even mostly whole wheat! Here's how it's done...

French Bread

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (you can use all-purpose but you will need more of it)
1 Tbsp. instant dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 F)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, for kneading
1 egg white + 1 Tbsp. water , for egg wash

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour and yeast. Stir in the water, olive oil, sugar, and salt and mix until well combined. Slowly add the all-purpose flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth.

2. Roll the dough out into a 12x15 rectangle. Beginning at the long side, roll it up tightly. (Excellent photos of this process here.) Tuck the ends under and place (seam-side down) on a piece of parchment paper dusted with cornmeal or a lightly greased baking sheet.

3. With a sharp knife, cut several diagonal slits across the top of the loaf 1/4-inch deep. Whisk to combine the egg white and water. Brush over the top and sides of the loaf. Let rise for about 45 minutes- 1 hour, until doubled in size.

4. Meanwhile, preheat oven (and a pizza stone, if using) to 375 F. Bake in preheated oven (you can place the parchment paper directly on the pizza stone if that's what you are using) for about 20 minutes, until the loaf is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf (easily doubled- or tripled- for multiple loaves).

(Adapted from How Does She)