Jerusalem style polenta

Ingredients:
1/2 bunch asparagus (washed, peeled, and cut off the stems)
1 whole box of Mushrooms (any kind, I like shiitake for this recipe)
1 cup whole milk
2 cups water
Truffle oil
Butter
Olive oil
Salt/pepper
Parmesan cheese
Lemon (juiced!  I used 1/2 a very large lemon)
1 cup polenta

Procedure:
1. Saute mushrooms in butter for 20 minutes
2. Boil milk with 1 cup water, then slowly whisk polenta in.  If it feels too thick, add the other cup of water.  Cover and simmer while stirring often for 7-10 minutes
3. Blanch and then ice-shock asparagus, then add lemon and olive oil to the asparagus
4. Arrange polenta, then mushrooms, then asparagus and shred or grate parmesan onto the top, then drizzle a very small amount of truffle oil on the dish.

Adapted from Palomar restaurant in London!

Zucchini Fritters - Kabak Mucver

Ingredients:
Fritters:
2 & 1/2 cups grated zucchini (2-3 zucchini)
6 tbsp chopped green onion (1-2 onions)
2 tbsp chopped dill
2 eggs
4 tbsp gluten-free or rice flour
1 tsp salt
3 oz feta cheese
oil for cooking
Optional: spicy red pepper flakes

Yogurt sauce:
2 garlic cloves, pressed/grated
1/4 cup cucumber grated or fine chopped
2 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice (about 1/2 lime or 1/4 lemon)
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:
1. Shred zucchini and set aside.
2. Mix all yogurt sauce ingredients and set aside.
3. Squeeze water out of the zucchini.
4. Mix zucchini, green onion, dill, flour, salt and eggs.  Then fold in cheese and spicy red pepper flakes.
5. Heat a pan and spray oil.  Add 1/6 of the zucchini mixture and cook 3 minutes on both sides, or until browned.
6. Serve as pictured, with dollop of yogurt sauce on top.

Red Sonja Mercimek Koftesi

Ingredients: 

1 cup red lentil

1/2 cup fine bulgar (cracked wheat)

2 cups water

1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, very finely chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp salt

3 lemons: 2 juiced, 1 zested, & 1 cut into slices for serving

1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped and dried

1/2 bunch green onion, finely chopped

romaine lettuce pieces

Optional ingredients: 1 tsp red pepper powder, 1/2 tbsp red pepper paste, 1 tsp black pepper

Recipe: 

1. Soak the red lentils in water for 4-5 hours. Drain.

2. Boil 2 cups water in a pot, and add the red lentils.  Cook until almost all water is absorbed.  Remove from heat.

3. Add bulgar and salt to the lentils and water, mix gently, and then cover for 10-15 minutes.

4. In a different pan, add oil and onions.  Sautee until translucent. Then add paprika, cumin powder, and tomato paste.  Cook for 1-2 more minutes.  Let cool.

5. Mix both mixtures and add green onions, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice from 1 lemon, and optional ingredients.  Taste and add more lemon juice if necessary.  

6. Form into koftas with your hand, and then place in lettuce leaves with cut lemon. Serve!!! 

Muhammara dip

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 
flakes or 1 small red chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted

1/4 cup whole-grain bread crumbs

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
, plus more to serve
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 to 3 roasted red peppers
 (or to roast yourself, just place in oven with aluminum foil at 450 and then peel and take off stems)
1/2 to 1 cup warm water
 (if you roast the peppers yourself, don't add this - just use the juice from the peppers)
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

to serve: torn basil

Recipe (from 101 Cookbooks):

Using a hand blender or a conventional blender, puree the chile flakes, cumin, most of the walnuts, bread crumbs, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, and red peppers to a smooth, even consistency. Mix in the warm water in increments to achieve an easily spreadable consistency similar to a thick yogurt. If you¹re going to use it for dipping, you might want to leave it a touch thicker. Stir in the salt and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve topped with torn basil, the remaining walnuts, and a thick thread of olive oil.

Tom Kha Tofu

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 cloves of garlic (minced, or pressed)
2 lemongrass stalks (with tops cut off)
2 thai chili peppers or 1 jalapeño pepper minced
1/2 large red onion (diced, small pieces)
1 inch minced ginger or galangal
any vegetables to be soft in the soup (ideas: cut celery stalk, carrots, maitake mushrooms)
2 cans light coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
any vegetables to be crisper in the soup (ideas: large broccoli florets, julienned red pepper, tomatoes)
1/2 block tofu (pressed)
big drizzle of soy sauce
big drizzle of sriracha
juice of one lime (or more, depending on what you like)
handful chopped cilantro
handful chopped thai basil
salt and pepper to taste
mung bean sprouts

1. Sautee onion, garlic, and chili peppers in both oils until onion is translucent.
2. Add ginger and first batch of vegetables (you'd like to be soft in the soup), cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Rip the outer layers off the lemongrass.  Pound one lemongrass stalk to release aromas (and leave whole) but cut the other into 1-3 inch pieces
4. Add both lemongrass stalks, coconut milk, and vegetable broth and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the remaining ingredients (except cilantro and mung bean sprouts) and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
6. Add cilantro and then turn off the heat.
7. While serving, add mung bean sprouts for garnish

Fresh spring wraps

For the rolls:

• Spring Roll Wrappers (I like small ones)

• 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu

• 1/2 English cucumber, julienned

• 1 red bell pepper, julienned

• 2 medium carrots, peeled & julienned

• 2 green onions, chopped

• mung bean sprouts (a handful)

• 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, minced

• 1/4 cup cilantro, thick stems removed and minced

• 1/3 cup roasted & salted peanuts

• Herbamare or sea salt, to season

• large bowl of hot tap water

• OPTIONAL: thin slices of jalapeño (hopefully not too spicy!)

For the peanut sauce:

• 1-2 garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp sesame oil

• 1/4 cup natural roasted peanut butter

• 1/2-1 tbsp peeled & roughly chopped fresh ginger

• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tbsp low sodium tamari

• 2 tsp sugar

• 1-3 tsp water, to thin out as needed

1. You can make the peanut sauce in advance (use a garlic press for the garlic cloves, add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.)
2. Press the water out of the tofu.
3. Julienne-cut all the vegetables, slice the tofu length-wise, and chop the cilantro and basil.  (slice the jalapeño if using).
4. Take a wrapper, hold it under water for 10 seconds and then lay it out on a tea towel.  Add the filling ingredients,  a few peanuts, and a sprinkle of salt.
5. Wrap the roll anyway you can and enjoy with the peanut sauce!!

Farro Minestrone

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup farro (soaked for 1 hour, then drained)

handful of sliced mushrooms

1 cup of dried beans (soaked and pressure cooked) or 1 can - I like kidney beans and white beans

3-4 celery stalks, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped or julienned

2 cups string beans (long cut: 3-4 inches)

1 cup spinach 

1 yellow onion (chopped)

1/2 green pepper (chopped)

1/2 large tomato (chopped)

2 tbsp tomato paste

3-4 garlic cloves

handful of fresh parsley

2 thai chili peppers (fresh or dried)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp fresh whole peppercorn

a pinch of dried spices (I used oregano and parsley)

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 cups vegetable stock or water

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. Add the onion and garlic (and chopped chili if only using fresh version). Cook, stirring, for three to five minutes until onion begins to soften. Add the rest of the vegetables (except spinach and tomato) and cover. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes until the mixture is tender and fragrant. Add the whole chili pepper (if using dried version), and cook, stirring, for a minute until fragrant. Add remaining vegetables, the farro, the rest of the spices, tomato paste and the water or stock. Bring to a boil, add salt, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour until the farro is tender and the soup fragrant. If it seems too thick, thin out with more water or stock. Add pepper, and adjust salt. Stir in the parsley. Serve with cheese or not!  (Try to avoid the whole dried peppers, bay leaf and peppercorn.  If you prefer, you can make a small bouquet garni of the dried spices and take it out before serving).