Category: Dairy-free

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Rice · Vegan

Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts

BelindaLeave a comment

Recipe by Christian Reynoso

Coconut milk does double duty here in this light yet hearty rice dish that straddles the line between side salad and pilaf-like main. First the rice is simmered in creamy coconut milk, then the remaining milk is used to make a soothing dressing spiked with lime juice, peanut butter, toasted peanuts and garlic, with a little added heat from chile sauce. Fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped herbs turn it all into a rice salad that can be a flavorful side for grilled chicken or the base for fried eggs.

Serves 4

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
1 (13 to 14 oz) can coconut milk
Salt and pepper
1(1½-inch) piece fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves
2 limes
½ cup roasted and salted peanuts, crushed
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp sambal oelek
2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, halved (about 10 ounces)
1 cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, cilantro or mint)

Cook the rice according to the packaging instructions until tender, replacing 1¼ cups of the cooking water with 1¼ cups of the coconut milk. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, transfer to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper — it should taste well-seasoned and almost buttery — and let cool.

While the rice is cooking, add ¼ cup coconut milk to another bowl. Finely grate the ginger and garlic into the bowl, followed by the zest of 1 lime. Then, juice both limes into the bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup of the peanuts, the peanut butter, sugar and sambal and season with salt.

When ready to serve, add the tomatoes and ¾ cup of the herbs to the bowl with the rice. Pour in the coconut dressing, toss well to coat, season with pepper and top with remaining ¼ cup crushed peanuts and ¼ cup herbs. For the best flavor, serve at room temperature the day it’s made.

Dairy-free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Miso leeks with white beans

BelindaLeave a comment

Recipe by Hetty Lui McKinnnon

In this reinterpretation of the classic French dish, leeks vinaigrette, tender braised leeks are bathed in a punchy miso vinaigrette, tossed with creamy white beans then served with an oozy soft egg for an easy, comforting midweek meal. Steady, gentle heat is the key to achieving the rich, jamlike leeks, coaxing out their sweetness while ensuring that they stay silky. The miso leeks can also be eaten in other ways — on a slice of toast, stirred through warm potatoes or pasta, or tossed with French lentils and peppery arugula for a simple salad. Make sure you use the whole leek. Many recipes recommend the white part only, but the green parts, while slightly tougher with a stronger flavor, can also be cooked and tenderized, especially in recipes where they are braised. The miso leeks improve over time and can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

Serves 4  (about 4 heaping cups)
2 large leeks (about 1 pound), roots and wrinkled tops trimmed, stalks halved lengthwise, white and green parts thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
4 eggs
2 (14-oz) cans white beans, such as cannellini or butter beans, drained
Handful tarragon or parsley leaves, roughly chopped, to serve
Toasted bread (optional), for serving

For the Miso Vinaigrette
4 tsp white miso paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tsp red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare the leeks: Place the sliced leeks into a colander and rinse them well, rubbing to loosen any dirt. Rinse them again and drain well. (There is no need to dry them, as the residual water is useful in cooking the leeks.)

Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the leeks. Season generously with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid cooks off and leeks start to stick to the pan, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high. Add the eggs and continue to cook over medium-high for 7 minutes. (Make sure you set a timer.) Set up an ice bath. Using a spider ladle or slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the water and immediately add them to the ice bath. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then peel and set aside.

Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste, Dijon mustard, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

Uncover the leeks — they will have reduced into a silky, jammy consistency. Discard the thyme, transfer the leeks to the bowl and stir to coat in the miso vinaigrette.

Stir in the white beans and leave to cool for a few minutes. Add about ¾ of the tarragon or parsley leaves and toss gently to combine.

Divide the leeks and beans among bowls and drizzle each with olive oil. Top with a halved jammy egg and finish with the remaining herbs. Serve with toast, if desired.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Asian chicken and cabbage salad

Belinda

This is a delicious and healthy salad and makes a mountain of it! It’s great for those outdoor summer entertaining and
you can prepare everything ahead of time, as long as you keep them separate until you’re ready to serve.

Serves 8 at least

Dressing
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
½ cup avocado oil
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Salad and Assembly
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lb.)
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
¾ cup raw almonds
½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz) cored, thinly sliced
4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 8-oz. cans water chestnuts, drained, quartered
1 7-oz. bag bean sprouts (about 2½ cups)

Dressing
Step 1
Whisk 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped, one 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp), ½ cup avocado oil, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, ¼ cup toasted sesame oil, ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar, and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper in a small bowl to combine.

Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk before using.
Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead; cover and chill.
Chicken can be baked 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Vegetables can be sliced 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Salad and Assembly.
Step 2
Pour ½ cup dressing into a medium bowl. Add 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lb.), sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and turn to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast ¾ cup raw almonds on a large rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop; set aside.

Step 4
Line baking sheet with a piece of foil about twice its length. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheet; discard marinade. Fold foil up and over chicken and bring edges together to make a packet; crimp tightly to seal.

Step 5
Bake chicken until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted through foil and into the thickest part of a breast should register 150°), 30–40 minutes. Let cool in foil, then tear open packet and shred chicken into large pieces.

Step 6
Place chicken in a large bowl. Add ½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz.), cored, thinly sliced, 4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise, 6 scallions, thinly sliced, two 8-oz. cans water chestnuts, drained, quartered, one 7-oz. bag mung bean sprouts (about 2½ cups), and remaining dressing; toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Step 7
Pile salad on a platter; top with reserved almonds.

Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Buttered Salmon with Red Onion, Capers and Dill

Belinda

Recipe by Alison Roman

“While salmon really is the best fish for this dish (the cooking method, the flavor profile, the whole thing), other proxies like trout and Arctic char would also work well here for their comparable fattiness.
To serve it, I just use a large spoon and scoop out large hunks of it (as in, no need to “slice” or cut into even portions). The more rustic and wild, the better.

Serves 4

1 lemon
2lbs (907 g) skin-on salmon fillet (if you can only find skinless, that’s okay)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ small red onion, sliced into very thin rings, divided
2-3 tbsp (30 ml) brined capers, drained
1 cup (250 ml) fresh dill (you can use parsley if you absolutely refuse to use dill)
2 tbsp (30 ml) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325° F (163° C). Thinly slice half the lemon and remove any seeds; save the other half for juicing.

Place the salmon skin side down on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter has started to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil, sliced lemon and half the onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until the lemon and onion have started to brown and frizzle, 2-3 minutes (you’re looking for a kind of crisped rather than softened and caramelized). Add the capers and let them pop and fry a minute or two.

Pour the brown butter-lemon mixture over the salmon. Place it in the oven and roast until just cooked through but still medium rare inside, 12-15 minutes; the flesh will more translucent, less opaque. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.

Meanwhile, toss together the dill and sesame seeds, if using, in a medium bowl. Give a squeeze from the halved lemon and season with salt and pepper. Scatter on top of the salmon, along with the remaining sliced onion.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Fish

Rosé Shrimp

Belinda

Recipe by Eric Kim for the NY Times

“This zippy, pink shrimp dish captures the crisp and flowery flavors of rosé wine in just 20 minutes. A dusting of herbes de Provence, bloomed in hot, shrimpy olive oil, amplifies the savoriness that crustaceans cooked in butter and wine tend to provide, like that of shrimp scampi. Piment d’Espelette — the fruity, moderately spiced pepper named after a commune in France and prevalent in Basque cooking — turbocharges the color and flavor of the shrimp. This chili can be swapped in a pinch, but don’t skip the orange zest; it brings out the wine’s inherent fruitiness. Serve this dish as an appetizer with crusty bread, or as an entrée with pasta or white rice, whatever can sop up the rosy pan juices.”

Serves 4
1 lb extra-large peeled and deveined shrimp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp herbes de Provence
½ tsp piment d’Espelette, plus more for garnish
1½ cups dry rosé wine
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
Orange zest, for serving

Step 1
On a plate, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the oil. Lay the shrimp down in a single layer and cook on the first side, undisturbed, until rosy around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and continue cooking, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the plate. (The shrimp will still be gray in spots at this point, but it will continue to cook in the sauce later.)

Step 2
Stir the herbes de Provence and piment d’Espelette into the hot, shrimpy oil until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add the rosé and brown sugar. Raise the heat to high to bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy and reduced by three-quarters, about 10 minutes.

Step 3
Off the heat, add the butter, stirring constantly until melted. Toss the shrimp in the hot, buttery sauce, then let sit until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Top with freshly grated orange zest and a final sprinkle of piment d’Espelette. Serve immediately.

TIP
You can easily find piment d’Espelette, or Espelette pepper, online as well as in many supermarkets and specialty spice stores. Its sunny flavor is worth seeking out for this particular dish, but gochugaru, Aleppo pepper and red-pepper flakes, though different in taste, are all adequate substitutions.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Salad

The famous Wolfgang Puck Chinese Chicken Salad

Belinda

Chef Wolfgang Puck created this signature Chinois Chicken Salad for his Santa Monica restaurant, Chinois, which opened in 1983 and specializes in Chinese-French fusion cuisine. It remains one of his most popular dishes and highly-requested recipes.

Tip: You can use store-bought wonton strips, but to make your own fried wonton strips like Wolfgang does, slice some wonton wrappers and deep fry in oil at 360°F until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before using.

Serves 6

For the Vinaigrette:
½ cup rice wine vinegar
⅓ cup Chinese mustard
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped pickled ginger
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp sesame paste
Salt and pepper
¾ cup peanut oil
For the Salad:
5 cups julienned Napa cabbage
4 cups mixed greens or watercress
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned
1 head radicchio, cored and julienned
3 pounds cooked skinless chicken breasts, cooled and meat julienned
2 cups fried wonton strips
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Large handful of toasted cashews

For the vinaigrette, in a blender, combine the rice wine vinegar, Chinese mustard, soy sauce, egg yolk, honey, pickled ginger, chili oil, sesame paste and salt and pepper to taste.

Blend thoroughly, then slowly add the peanut oil while the motor is running. Taste for seasoning.

For the salad, in a large salad bowl, mix all the salad ingredients except for the sesame seeds. Add half the vinaigrette and taste. Add more dressing, as needed, a little at a time so as not to overdress the salad.

Divide the salad among 6 plates and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cashews.

Dairy-free · Holiday Food · Meat

Garlic-Braised Pork Shoulder

Belinda

Adapted from a recipe by Ali Slagle

Cooking time 3 ¾ hours

This beginner-friendly, hands-off braise is for anyone seeking fall-apart pork and lots of savory sauce. After browning whole heads of garlic and the pork, the two braise with water or pork stock until the pork is shreddable, the garlic is buttery and the surrounding liquid is as flavorful as can be. Some braises are loaded with many aromatics, but this one zeroes in on caramelized garlic, a heavy hitter that can singlehandedly season a dish. Slice or shred the meat and serve with the pureed braising liquid ( minus the herbs), mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower and leek (I love this)tortillas, or bread for dunking.

Serves 4-6

3½ – 4lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of more than ¼-inch fat
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
4 cups pork stock made with 4 cups boiling water and 1 pork stock cube, crumbled and dissolved into the boiling water.
3-4 heads garlic, tops removed leaving 2/3 of the garlic
Good-sized bundles fresh rosemary, sage, oregano or thyme tied with butchers string. (I used thyme and rosemary)

Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Season the pork all over with salt and pepper (about 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons fine sea salt). You can season the pork up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until using.

Step 2
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, cut-sides down, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the garlic, turn up to medium-high heat then add the pork shoulder and cook until well browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3
Add 4 cups of broth, the garlic and the herbs.
Bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven, turning the pork every 30 minutes or so until the pork falls apart when prodded with a fork, 2½ to 3 hours.

Step 4
Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and rest for about 15 minutes (the pork, that is!).
Use tongs to squeeze the garlic halves until the cloves pop out into the braising liquid. Discard the garlic peels and herb sprigs. As the braising liquid sits, a fat cap will appear: Use a spoon to skim off most of it. Season the liquid to taste with salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce so it becomes smooth and very creamy.

Step 5
Slice the pork against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices, or shred the pork with two forks.
Serve with the sauce in a little bowl beside the pork, or dribble some over the sliced meat to keep moist

Dairy-free · Fish

Coconut fish and tomato bake

Belinda

Recipe by Yewande Komolafe

A coconut-milk dressing infused with garlic, ginger, turmeric and lime coats fish fillets in this sheet-pan dinner. Accompanying the fish are bright bursts of tomatoes which turn jammy under the broiler and relinquish some of their juices to the pan sauce. This sauce is silky enough to coat a spoon and packed with flavor. It pairs well with anything from snapper to flounder and even salmon, so choose the fillets that look best at the market. You’ll want to sop up the sauce with thick slices of grilled or toasted baguette, or spoon it over steamed rice.

Serves 4
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp red-pepper flakes
1 tbsp honey
Kosher salt
2 limes
½ cup chopped cilantro
4(6-ounce) fish fillets, such as snapper, haddock, striped bass, fluke, sablefish or salmon, skin on or off
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red-pepper flakes, honey and 1 teaspoon salt.

Zest and juice 1 lime directly into the coconut milk mixture. Stir in ¼ cup chopped cilantro. Add the fish fillets and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Arrange another rack in the position closest to the broiler heat source. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Place the tomatoes on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Place the marinated fish between the tomatoes and spoon all the marinade from the bowl over the fish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the fish. Transfer the pan to the lower-middle rack and roast until the surface of the fish is opaque but the center is not cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. The fish should not flake easily with a fork. Remove the pan from the oven and heat the broiler to high.

Move the pan to the broiler and finish cooking, rotating the pan once, until the fish is tender and the tomatoes are just beginning to brown in spots, 5 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Slice the remaining lime into wedges.

Divide the tomatoes and fish among dishes and tip the pan juices over the fish. Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Halibut and rhubarb ceviche with salted almonds

Belinda

Ceviche is a Latin American dish of fresh raw fish dressed in an acidic marinade – known as tiger’s milk – made from citrus juice, cilantro (coriander) stalks and chili (although there are many variations). This version uses the natural tartness of rhubarb to add a fruity twist, along with that gorgeous rosy hue.
Halibut is used in this recipe for its meaty texture, but any white fish works.

Serves 2

50g rhubarb
Juice 1 lemon
Juice 1 lime
¼ bunch fresh cilantro, stalks and leaves separated
1 green jalapeno chili, halved through its centre
¼ red onion
2 tbsp salted almonds
350g skinless halibut fillet

Roughly chop the rhubarb and put in a blender with the lemon and lime juice. Whizz until smooth, then transfer to a bowl and add the cilantro stalks, the top half of the chili and a pinch of salt. Leave in the fridge to infuse for at least 30 minutes but ideally 1 hour.
Finely slice the onion and put in a bowl of cold water to crisp up. Finely slice the remaining chili into rings and roughly chop the coriander leaves and almonds. Cut the halibut into roughly 2cm chunks and put in a large bowl.
Once the ceviche dressing has infused, strain it through a fine sieve and discard the chili and cilantro stalks.
Pour the liquid over the halibut, then stir in the chopped cilantro leaves, drained red onion, sliced chili and salted almonds. Leave for 5 minutes so the acid in the marinade begins to ‘cook’ the fish and turn it opaque, then divide between 2 serving dishes.