Black Bean and Corn Salad With Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
Serves 6.
Note: Serve this as a salad or as a dip with tortilla chips. Save remainder of chipotle chiles in the refrigerator or freezer for another use. From "Once Upon a Chef," by Jennifer Segal.
• 2 ears fresh sweet corn
• 1 c. finely chopped red onion
• 1 (15 1/2-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus a bit more for garnish
• 1 avocado
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 1 lime), or more
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly dried oregano
• 2 small chipotle chiles in adobo sauce from a can (see Note)
Directions
To make the salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (with enough salt for the water to taste like the sea; add a few tablespoons of sugar to the water if you want to enhance the corn's sweetness). Add the corn, cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove corn from the pot and let cool.
Meanwhile, place chopped red onion in a small bowl and cover with water. Let sit for about 10 minutes, then drain completely in a sieve and set aside.
One at a time, holding the cooled corn upright in a large bowl, cut the kernels off the cobs in strips. Add the beans, onion, bell pepper and cilantro to the corn.
To make the dressing: In a blender or mini food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the vinegar, lime juice, honey, vegetable oil, garlic, cumin, salt, oregano and chipotle chiles. Process until smooth.
Pour dressing over the bean and corn mixture and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
Right before serving, cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Using a butter knife, cut a grid in each half. Holding each avocado half over the salad, use a spoon to scoop out the diced flesh.
Toss the salad gently, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary (add a squeeze of fresh lime to freshen it up). Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve cold.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories305Fat18 gSodium680 mg
Carbohydrates33 gSaturated fat3 gTotal sugars10 g
Protein6 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber9 g
Exchanges per serving: 2 starch, 3 ½ fat.
No-Churn Cheesecake Ice Cream With Graham Cracker-Pecan Crumble
Makes about 4 cups.
Note: Only a food processor — no ice cream machine — is needed for this. From "Once Upon a Chef," by Jennifer Segal.
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest, from 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Salt
• 8 whole graham crackers, broken into pieces
• 1/3 c. pecans
• 3 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Directions
To make the ice cream: In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, and the sugar is completed dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plastic container or loaf pan; cover and freeze until solid, about 8 hours or overnight.
To make the crumble: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed 13- by 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine graham crackers, pecans, brown sugar, butter and pinch of salt; pulse until finely chopped. It's fine to leave some small chunks; just be sure the brown sugar is incorporated.
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking sheet and press into a compact layer about 1/8 inch thick, like a crust (don't worry if the edges are uneven). Bake until golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool to room temperature, then break into chunks. (Or, instead of making a crumble, you can break the crust into larger shards and serve the pieces as a "cookie" garnish.)
Scoop ice cream into bowls and top with crumble. The ice cream will keep for a few weeks in the freezer, and the crumble will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Nutrition information per ½ cup serving:
Calories475Fat32 gSodium210 mg
Carbohydrates45 gSaturated fat17 gTotal sugars36 g
Protein4 gCholesterol85 mgDietary fiber1 g
Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 6 fat.
Chocolate Peanut Butter-Covered Cheez-It S'mores
Serves 6 to 8.
Note: Cheez-Its, when covered in chocolate peanut butter, taste like Butterfingers. With the melted marshmallows, these will taste like a homemade candy bar. From "Gather & Graze" by Stephanie Izard.
• 8 oz. milk chocolate pieces
• 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 (11.7-oz.) box Cheez-Its Bigs (make sure they're all whole)
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• Marshmallows
Directions
Bring a few inches of water in a medium saucepan to a boil over medium heat.
Combine chocolate, peanut butter and butter in a heatproof bowl that fits over the top of the pot. Over the boiling water, melt the chocolate, peanut butter and butter. Stir until combined and remove from the heat.
Place the Cheez-Its in a bowl and add the chocolate. Toss to coat and then let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to avoid clumping when you add the powders.
Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Toss with the coated Cheez-Its.
Toast the marshmallows over the open flame of a grill or stove. Smoosh the melting marshmallow between 2 coated Cheez-Its.
Warm Potato and Green Onion Salad
Serves 4 to 6.
Note: Cornichons are tiny gherkins. From "The Home Cook" by Alex Guarnaschelli.
• 2 lb. small Red Bliss potatoes
• 6 tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. grainy mustard
• 6 cornichons, cut into 1/4-in. pieces, plus 1 tbsp. cornichon liquid (see Note)
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 green onions (green and white parts), minced
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To cook the potatoes, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven until tender when pierced with a knife, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size.
To make the vinaigrette: In a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes, whisk together the sherry vinegar, both mustards, cornichons and their liquid. Whisk in olive and canola oils. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in green onions into the dressing.
To make the salad: Remove potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Peel about half of them, if desired (the potato skin adds some flavor). Add the potatoes to the dressing and stir to break up the potatoes a little, but do not overmix. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:
Calories270Fat16 gSodium375 mg
Carbohydrates28 gSaturated fat2 gTotal sugars2 g
Protein4 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber4 g
Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 carb, 3 fat.
Pepper Salad With Feta
Serves 4.
Note: From "David Tanis Market Cooking."
• 1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, very thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 3 oz. feta cheese, in rough chunks
• Pinch of dried oregano
Directions
Put the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic and crushed red pepper in a large salad bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Add the olive oil and vinegar and toss well. Add the parsley, basil and mint, and toss again.
Scatter the feta cheese over the top of the salad, sprinkle with the dried oregano and serve.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories190Fat15 gSodium200 mg
Carbohydrates10 gSaturated fat5 gTotal sugars6 g
Protein4 gCholesterol20 mgDietary fiber2 g
Exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, 3 fat.
