Cuisine Eric

It's Halloween, so pumpkin is appropriate.  And a bit of sweetness is too.  Trick or treat. 7 oz pumpkin pasta (I used Trader Joe’s seasonal) 1 tub extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (I used Trader Joe’s) or soy sauce 1 Tbsp maple syrup palmful fresh parsley, minced 1/2 cup half and half, or light cream 2 Tbsp pesto 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese crushed red pepper flakes for garnish Bring a large pot of very salted water to a boil for the pasta.  Cook until pasta is just al dente. Meanwhile, sauté the tofu in a dash of olive oil with the  coconut aminos and maple syrup until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley. Add the cream and reduce by about half to get a thicker consistence.   Stir in the pesto and cook though to form a glassy sauce. When cooked, drain pasta and tip into serving bowl.  Top with tofu mixture.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Served 4. Cook’s

Ready, set, burrito! No one wants to wait for breakfast, so this dish is welcome for its satisfying flavors and textures, as well as being fast to prepare. The breakfast burrito - another versatile dish (like the frittata and the stir fry) for using up leftovers. Scour your fridge and assemble likely filling candidates on the counter - leave no leftover behind! And I used orange tomatoes and orange tortillas to honor Halloween. Leftover rice and veggies on hand (or a few handfuls baby spinach leaves) 4 oz Sriracha baked tofu (I used Trader Joe’s), cubed 4 eggs, beaten 4 6-inch tortilla wraps 1/2 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese Sriracha sauce to taste 12-15 grape tomatoes, sliced, for garnish parsley for garnish sour cream to taste Brown the tofu in a dash of canola oil in a non-stick skillet.   Add eggs to tofu and cooked scrambled lightly.   Remove eggs from heat. Reheat the leftover rice and veggies in a microwave.  If you have none, and

Am I at all giving it away that I love Buffalo Wing hot sauce? About 2 dozen chicken winglets 1/2 cup favorite Buffalo wing hot sauce 1 Tbsp Balsamic glaze (I used Trader Joe’s) 2 cloves garlic, minced  1 shallot, finely diced 1/2 cup orange pepper , finely diced (about 1/2 of an average pepper) 1 jalapeño pepper, minced Sauce: 1 cup sour cream 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled 1 clove garlic, finely minced through press celery Several hours before eating, or the day before, toss together the chicken, hot sauce, balsamic glaze, garlic, shallot ant two peppers in a large bowl.  Salt and pepper lightly to taste.  Wrap tightly and allow to marinate in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. When ready to cook, return wings to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Scatter wings in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.   Roast about 20-30 minutes (I used convection roast mode) or until wings are nicely browned and completely cooked through.

In a recent trip back up to our old stomping grounds in Connecticut, we stopped at Aspetuk Valley Orchards in Easton.  They make the best pies ever.  Search them out if you are ever in the area.  I also picked up some of their Buffalo wing hot sauce - perfect for spicing up Tofu kebabs.  I'm a real fan. 1 tub extra firm tofu cut into 32 1/2-inch cubes Marinade: 1/4 cup Aspetuck Buffalo Sauce (or favorite) 1/4 cup good vinaigrette 1 Tbsp honey Heat grill to high.  Wrap tofu in several paper towels and gently squeeze out as much water as possible, without deforming the tofu.  Cut into 32 1/2-inch cubes - start by halving lengthwise and then cut each slab into 4x4 cubes. Whisk together the marinade ingredients and gently fold with the tofu in a shallow casserole. Soak six 6-inch wooden skewers in water for about 5 minutes.  Skewer tofu pieces about five per skewer. Reserve remaining marinade for basting during grilling. Grill over medium-high heat, a

This is a fast, easy and delicious way to bring a nice piece of Cod from good to great. Sauce: 2 Tbsp good real mayonnaise  tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp favorite Buffalo hot sauce 3/4 lb cod fillet 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon 1 Tbsp butter 1 shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine 1/2 cup half and half or light cream 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves Preheat oven to 400F.  Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.  Place the cod in an oiled oven-proof casserole.  Salt and pepper lightly to taste.  Spread sauce evenly on cod.  Top with tarragon.   Bake about 15 minutes until golden, and fish is just cooked through. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet. Sauté the shallot for about 5-7 minutes until softened and fragrant.   Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.  Add the wine and cream and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce to about half.  Add the spinach and wilt.  Cook until the spinach is in

Frittata is the penultimate dish for using what you have in the fridge or pantry - especially leftovers.  Like with stir fries, you almost cannot go wrong.  Here I used leftover potato, and kicked it up with Merguez, a spicy Arabic lamb sausage. 1 Yukon Gold potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 links Merguez (Arabic) lamb sausage (I got from Whole Foods), about 1/3 lb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced 3-4 fresh sage leaves, minced 1/2 package (about 4 oz) baked Sriracha flavored tofu (I used Trader Joe’s), cut into 3/4-inch pieces About 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves 1/4 lb Swiss or Jarlesburg cheese (or other favorite) cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 eggs 1/4 cup half and half or light cream about 1/4 lb fresh Ricotta cheese Sriracha or other favorite hot sauce 1 Tbsp fresh chives Preheat oven to 375F.  If potato is previously cooked, set aside.  Otherwise. microw

Choose the meatiest, bonniest 'country' ribs you can.  Ribs on the bone are always better. 4 meaty pork country ribs Sauce: 1 Tbsp gochujang paste 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice Heat grill to high.  Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Salt and pepper the ribs to taste. Grill ribs about 2-3 minutes on both sides over highest heat to form noticeable grill marks.   Reduce heat to medium and begin saucing the ribs.  Turn the ribs and re-sauce every 2-3 minutes, until the ribs are cooked through - about 10 minutes in total, or until the center reaches 145F for medium. Put a final glaze on the ribs and serve with favorite sides. Serves 4.

Cauliflower and tofu fold together with spinach, salsa and cheese in a creamy gratin.  For a vegetarian version, omit the pancetta and substitute finely diced onion or shallot. 4 cups cauliflower flowerets 1 tub firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves 1/4 cup fresh salsa 1/4 lb favorite hard cheese, finely diced 1/4 cup pancetta, finely diced 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced 4 fresh sage leaves, minced Sauce: 2 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup white flour 2 cups milk Preheat oven to 375F.  Toss the first set of ingredients together in a big bowl. Make sauce: melt the butter in the oil in a sauce pan.  Add the flour and whisk together until frothy and bubbly.   After about 3-4 minutes, it should smell nutty.   Add the milk and whisk together.   Whisk often as the sauce thickens.   Season lightly with salt and pepper. Fold the sauce into the veggie mixture in the large bowl.   Tip mixture into a large oi

This is an old favorite - tilapia with sautéed spinach (palak) and a yogurt curry sauce infused with aromatic veggies and Indian spice.  Revived from the first posting of my first blog www.cuisineici.blogspot.com ten years ago, it is still a go to way to prepare simple white fish. Curry sauce: 1 cup Greek yogurt 1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 Tbsp favorite Curry powder 1 tsp chili powder 2 Tbsp ghee or butter 1 carrot, finely diced 1 shallot, minced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced 2 Tbsp butter 3-4 tilapia fillets, about 1-1/2 lb, enough for 4 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves Mix together the yogurt, cornstarch, mustard, curry and chili powders in a small bowl.   Melt the ghee in a small skillet and sauté the carrots for 2-3 minutes.  Add the shallots and pepper and sauté another 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2-3 minutes.  All the veggies should be so

Creamy, cheesy gratin potatoes are quick and easy to make if you microwave them before baking. Jalapeño and Parmesan add a kick of flavor in two directions - umami and heat. 4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 6 oz  Swiss cheese, diced 1 Tbsp tarragon leaves (I used dried) 1 clove garlic, minced 1/3 cup half and half 1/2 jalapeño pepper, diced dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375F. Layer half the potatoes in a medium oiled casserole.  Top with half the Swiss cheese, garlic and tarragon.  Salt lightly to taste. Then layer-on the remaining potatoes, and top with the remaining Swiss cheese. Pour the cream all over the potatoes.  Top gratin with jalapeño, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.   Season with freshly ground black pepper (I used mixed red, green and black peppercorns). Microwave potatoes for 10 minutes.  Then bake in oven for another 10-15 minutes until