now i can’t eat it any other way. m uses pop secret kernels and about 4-4.5 on our stove’s biggest burner.
  

m quickly whipped up some dilly, mayo-y, shallot-y salmon burgers. it’s a fish weekend as we are also getting our seafood csa on sunday. these were very good (no photo) even if they did stink up the house. 

Purée two jalapenos, 1 teaspoon ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon lapsong suchong powder, 1.5 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon of Mexican oregano, Cayanne if you want to make it hotter. Mix w turkey. Form in patties. Let sit in fridge 5 min. Grill or cast iron. 4-5 min a side.

F’n awesome.

we’ve tried this before, but this new recipe (not based on any recipe on the internet – based solely on m’s cooking brilliance and acumen (she’s *amazing*!)) is astounding.

m typed this out:

1.5 c rice
cilantro
2 limes + zest 1 lime
4 cloves garlic
mexican oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
2tblspoons butter
tablespoon grapeseed oil

cook rice

in pot toast cumin. then grind.
melt butter add oil. add zest of lime and 1.5 limes of juice. add oregano. add garlic. have on low for 30 more sec. then turn off. let sit.

in kitchen aid coffee grinder. add cilantro and juice half lime. mix to puree.

once oil mix cooled. add to kitchen aid grinder with cilantro. puree to smooth

mix w cooked rice. add bit more butter. mix and serve.

having hot cocoa for dessert and i usually follow the recipe on the hershey’s hot cocoa container but i recycled it long ago and haven’t made hot cocoa in about 8 weeks or longer. i found the recipe online. here it is so i never forget again:

1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
5 teaspoons 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

don’t forget to use other extracts such as hazelnut or peppermint. the orange extract was waaaaay strong and very fruity.

have i mentioned we signed up for a seafood csa? we are trying to introduce more fish – sustainably fished fish – into our lives. we are on week four and to m’s great disappointment, we have had halibut for the last 3 times. i’m being kind referring to her unhappiness as disappointment. she dislikes halibut *so* much that there’s now lots of swearing and ranting each time halibut appears. when we first signed up, there was lots of cod being offered – perhaps halibut is simply in season now. like kale in the winter and strawberries in the summer. even if that is the case, i don’t know how much more halibut we (she) can eat (tolerate). the first 2 times we had tacos. tonight she made halibut fish sandwiches a la giada. it was a bit sweet but smelled and tasted great. she said she’d eat it again. she may get her chance in 2 weeks. ;)

Mediterranean Halibut Sandwiches
makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

Fish:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) or 2 (6-ounce) center-cut halibut fillets, skinned
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Bread:
1 loaf ciabatta bread, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

Filling:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon capers, drained
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula

Directions

For the fish: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a small baking sheet or glass baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Season the halibut on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake until the fish is cooked through and the flesh flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

For the bread: Preheat a grill pan or a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove some of the dough from the top half of the bread. Brush the cut-sides of the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, and rub the cooked surface with the cut side of the garlic.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, capers, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

Using a fork, flake the cooked fish and add to the filling. Mix until incorporated. Place the filling on the bottom half of the bread. Top with arugula. Add the top half of the bread and cut into 4 equal-sized sandwiches.

i can’t believe i’m doing this, but…we made the barefoot contessa’s easy strawberry jam and it is *heavenly*. we could perhaps try 1/2 cup less of sugar just for kicks but it’s not like it was too sweet. as for the liqueur, we used the store bought limoncello that was in the freezer and m added way more than it called for (of course, she doesn’t remember how much she added…of course). we surmised that we could also use apricot brandy, peach schnapps, cointreau, or any number of other fruit flavored alcohols we have in our arsenal. as for the superfine sugar, we poured 3 cups and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar into our food processor and spun it ’round for a while (also didn’t measure the time, but pretty sure the food processor wasn’t gonna light the sugar on fire). when we lifted off the lid, sugar “smoke” gently dispersed into the air like a light, fluffy cloud.

Ingredients

• 3 pints fresh strawberries
• 3 cups superfine sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and small-diced
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Place the strawberries in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain and hull the strawberries. Cut the larger berries in half or quarters and leave the small berries whole. Place the strawberries in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot such as heavy Dutch oven and toss them with the sugar and orange-flavored liqueur.

Bring the berry mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add the apple and blueberries and continue to keep the mixture at a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This should take 25 to 35 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then store covered in the refrigerator. It will keep refrigerated for at least 2 weeks. To keep the jam longer, pack and seal in canning jars according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

i used paula wolfert’s recipe which is not exactly well-written but make fantastic hummus. i also consulted a few other sites to round out my hummus research: smitten kitchen’s smooth hummus

Of course, the most famous tahini dip of all is hummus, a dish that has begun to lose its charm, for it has turned into a mediocre deli item. A good plate of hummus is never presented undressed. It should be spread on a plate, then
smoothed down from the middle outward with the back of a spoon to create a wide well in the center. A sprinkle of ground cumin and a little drizzle of olive oil and lemon is then added. An exceptionally pretty presentation is achieved by heating some hot paprika in olive oil until the oil turns red; strain the oil, then drizzle it over half the hummus while sprinkling the other half with a few dots here and there, finally finishing with a thin line around the dish. Makes 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 small onion, peeled
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or more to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground cumin, hot paprika, or pomegranate seeds for garnish

Directions
1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover. Drain; rinse and cook with the onion in water to cover until the chickpeas are very soft. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquor for the dip; save the rest for soup. Set aside l/4 cup chickpeas for the garnish. Discard the onion.
2. Stir up the tahini in its jar with the oil until well blended. Place tahini in blender jar or the work bowl of a food processor and blend the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice until the mixture “whitens.” With the machine running, add the reserved cooking liquor. Add 1 3/4 cups chickpeas and process until well blended. Correct the seasoning with salt and lemon juice. Allow dip to mellow at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. To serve as a dip, spread on a shallow serving dish. Use the back of a spoon to make a well in the center, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with cumin, hot paprika, or pomegranate seeds.