cranberry bean + ribboned zucchini salad /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

this salad was totally meant to be made as a traditional salad, meaning with some sort of leafy green tossed in there.  however, a few weeks i had dental work done, not knowing i would not be able to chew so well, i had gone to the famers' market a few days prior and picked up some zucchini and summer squash.  without wanting my beautiful, first-of-the-season squashes to go to waste, i thought about what i could do with them.  zucchini-squash pasta? some sort of saute? perhaps a zucchini pancake? then i thought about them in a salad, ribboned with herbs.  as i started picking my herbs from my (fire escape) garden i thought how amazing a herby-chimichurri vinaigrette would be - i would use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, add some crushed red pepper for a little heat, and i would toast some nuts for a more substantial dressing that would hold up next to the ribbons of squash.  i thought i was finished dreaming up this little creation until i looked in the refrigerator and saw some leftover black lotus rice.  in it went, and delicious it was!  this time around i wanted the dish to be solid enough for a meal on its own.  so when i saw these absolutely gorgeous cranberry beans i quickly scooped them up, took them home, and added them for some hearty protein.  

this has become a quick and easy summer meal, as well as a plentiful side dish for us.  plus it can be refrigerated and eaten throughout the week.  serve it cold or room temperature, this salad of sorts lends itself to picnics, a day at the beach, or just a night at home.  i paired the beans and zucchini with black rice.  however, any grain will work wonderfully here, whether you prefer another type of rice, quinoa, or farro.  as for bean substitutions, i could see chickpeas or fava beans being just as good.  

 

cranberry bean + ribboned zucchini salad

| serves 6

4 medium zucchinis (or 2 large), washed, trimmed, and ribboned 

1/2 pound fresh cranberry beans (8 ounces), shelled

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 cup black rice, cooked

1 ripe avocado, sliced

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 

1 tablespoon cilantro, julienned

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons packed fresh basil

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/2 clove garlic

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil

one pinch fine grain sea salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)

instructions

make the beans and rice

  • in a saucepan, combine 1 cup black rice with 2 cups water.  bring to a boil, turn to low and cover the pot.  cook for 25-30 minutes.  let rest and cool
  • in a medium saucepan, cover the beans with water.  bring to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer; cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the freshness of your beans.  drain, season with salt and pepper.  set aside

make the vinaigrette

  • in a food processor, combine the herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, pine nuts, olive oil, vinegar, and salt.  blend the ingredients, scraping down the sides until combined

make the salad

  • in a large serving bowl, combine the chopped red onion and rice, taste and season with salt and pepper.  add zucchini ribbons, beans, and avocado; toss gently with the vinaigrette.  garnish with cilantro and pine nuts

enjoy

 

 

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baked eggs with cuban sofrito /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

on my long list of places i would love to travel to, Cuba is probably in the top 3.  my first introduction to anything Cuban was when my dad would play Buena Vista Social Club cassettes and cds.  and even though i couldn't understand what the singers were saying, i loved how the music sounded. there was a part of me that felt like i had a finger on the pulse of Cuba.  as i got older and learned more about Cuba's politics, it's social codes, and also of the island's beauty, i grew a deeper appreciation for its mystery and particular way of life.  i am hopeful that one day i will find myself there, but in the meantime, i live vicariously through a small Cuban restaurant (Cubana Cafe) in the neighborhood where we have become friendly with the owner and waitstaff.  i always tell frank that it's my happy place.  the music, the decor, the vibe, the food! ugh, the food!  i can never tire of their menu items, especially a mildly, spicy, jalapeno sauce served with fresh plantain chips.  frank and i (and our lacking palettes) tried to taste our way through the sauce to figure out its ingredients, but ended up asking the owner what the secret in the sauce was.  he gave us the 4 ingredients: tomato, onion, garlic, and jalapeno.  in an attempt to create something similar i made a quasi cuban sofrito.  and while it's not identical to it, it's a good replacement when i can't get my fix from Cubana Cafe.  

for this dish i used the corn tortillas from the other week.  however, any kind of tortilla or maleable flatbread will work here.  i could imagine using  naan, or pita bread.  also, i have made these baked eggs by sandwiching the eggs between the sofrito sauce; it adds a bonus layer of kick!  the sofrito recipe makes about 2 cups, so be sure to experiment with it.  it recently made its way into our dinner on top of baked fish.  it could also be used as a dip or as a taco or quesadilla topping, so have fun with it!

 

baked eggs with cuban sofrito

| makes 4

4 corn tortillas

4 organic eggs

1/2 cup sofrito

1 avocado, pitted and sliced

1 bunch cilantro, washed and stemmed

fine grain sea salt

ancho chile powder to taste

for the sofrito:

| makes ~2 cups

4 plum tomatoes

1/2 of one onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

1/8 teaspoon pinch fine grain sea salt (or salt to taste)

pinch of ground cumin

instructions

make the sofrito

  • pre heat oven to broil.  line too small jelly roll pans with parchment paper or tin foil
  • place the tomatoes and jalapeno on one baking sheet and broil for about 5-7 minutes.  using tongs, flip the tomatoes and jalapeno over and broil for another 5-7 minutes; until the skins are charred, and tomatoes are split.  remove from oven and let cool until they are ready to handle by hand
  • turn the oven temperature down to 400°.  lightly coat the tin foil lined jelly roll pan with olive oil, place onion and garlic on, bake for about 15-20 minutes; until onion edges are charred, and garlic is soft.  remove from oven and let cool slightly
  • peel and core the tomatoes; place in food processor.  cut the jalapeno in 3 pieces; place one piece in processor (remove seeds if you don't want it as spicy).  peel the garlic and place in the food processor with the onions.  pulse in the cilantro, salt, and cumin.  process until pureed.  refrigerate in an air tight container until ready to use (can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks)

make the eggs

  • pre heat the oven to 350°
  • gently place tortillas inside the ramekins (i threw my tortillas in the microwave to soften them so they wouldn't crack or break); crack an egg into each tortilla-lined ramekin and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven.  bake until whites of eggs are set, about 15-20 minutes (rotating halfway through) 
  • remove from oven and top with a healthy amount of sofrito, sliced avocado, cilantro, salt and a sprinkle of ancho chile powder

eat immediately, and enjoy! 

baked squash blossoms with pine nut cheese /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

edible flowers, squash blossoms and nasturtium among a few, grace us with their company each spring and summer.  there's something about delicate squash blossoms that are so beautiful.  maybe i find then curious because the plant that grows them is so large and prickly, and produces something so delicate.  

i tried my hand at stuffing and frying squash blossoms a couple of times last year.  they turned out great.  but this year i was yearning for a something a little less fried, so i decided to bake them instead.  i wasn't sure how they would turn out, if the cheese would ooze it's way out of the flower cavity and burn on the baking sheet, or if they would never crisp-up and just be a soggy mess.  the result was better than i was anticipating.    lightly browned, crispy, with a slightly nutty flavor.

because the cheese i used to stuff the flowers is nut-based, it did not contain as much moisture as dairy-based cheese would.  if you are planning on using a dairy-based cheese, such as ricotta, i would drain it through a cheese cloth for about 30 minutes prior to using and then blending the herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper by hand.  i don't see a need to mustard, cider, lemon juice, or water to a dairy-based mixture.  

baked squash blossoms with pine nut cheese

serve these as an appetizer, side dish, or even on top of a bowl of greens.  these are best when served hot and right out of the oven.   

| makes 10 stuffed blossoms

10 squash blossoms, rinsed and stamens removed (the fuzzy yellow part inside the bloom) 

1 tablespoon olive oil

large grain sea salt

for the cheese: 

 

adapted from The First Mess  

 

1/2 cup pine nuts, soaked in hot water for at least 2 hours

1 1/2 teaspoon good dijon mustard (i use Maille) 

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice  

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons (about 10 leaves) fresh basil

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed

pinches of fine grain sea salt to taste

couple turns fresh ground pepper

 

 

instructions

  • in a food processor, combine soaked pine nuts, mustard, water, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. blend, scraping down the sides of the processor.  taste, add salt and pepper according to your preference.  scoop into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (i made mine the day before.  letting the "cheese" rest allows the flavors to really come together. if you don't have the time, by all means use right away, it will still taste awesome!)
  • pre heat oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • rinse and let squash blossoms air dry.  using a small knife, make a slit on one side.  cut the stamen from the inside of the flower (hard yellow fuzzy stem inside the flower)
  • using a tiny spoon (you can also use a piping bag), fill each flower.  i used about 2 healthy spoonfuls for each flower
  • twist the end of the flower to close.  place the flowers on your baking sheet.  using a pastry brush, lightly coat each flower with olive oil (bottoms too), and sprinkle them with large grain sea salt  
  • bake at 400° for 10 minutes checking them halfway through.  my oven is a little funky so i ended up baking them for 10 minutes on 400° and then turning up the heat to 425° for another 5 minutes to get them nice and crispy.  in the end you want them a nice golden brown, so anywhere between 10-15 minutes should do it in any normal oven :)

enjoy!