Friday, December 7, 2012

"Figs," iPhoneography by Anne Halsted
Our Favorite Recipes 2012

Thursday, December 6, 2012

2012 Recipe List




Main Dishes




























Desserts


















Brunch Dishes








Ceviche

by Maud Hallin
as served in Peru and Baja California

serves 4

1 pound flounder, fluke or sole, cut into ½” cubes

For the sauce:
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 habanero chili, chopped and seeds removed
Salt and pepper

You may add any of the following:
1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
Dark blue cooked potato, fresh corn kernels, chopped tomato flesh or some chopped
yellow, red or green bell peppers


The fish, along with the first set of ingredients should be mixed together and allowed to rest for 2 or 3 hours. It is important that the fish is very fresh, and non-fatty. Fish should be without skin and bones. You may also use scallops, shrimp or oysters, etc. If you go fishing, trout is great for this dish.

Before serving, mix in some colorful and tasty veggies!

Do remember that that the lime juice would quickly wreak havoc on such things as lettuce, spinach, etc. If you can get the fish Sierra in Mexico, it is great for this dish. Of course you also could use fresh tuna.

Coconut-Panko Shrimp with
Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Styled by Amanda Gold; Photo by Craig Lee

adapted from the San Francisco Chronicle, October 30, 2011
via Judy Gray

serves 3 to 4

For the sweet potatoes:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes or yams, peeled, halved width-wise and cut into wedges
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the dip and glaze:
1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Dash Tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

For the shrimp:
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, with tails left on
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup panko crumbs
Vegetable oil, for pan-frying

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place sweet potatoes on the sheet in a single layer, drizzle remaining oil over and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until browned on the bottom; then turn the potatoes and roast another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dip and glaze. In a small bowl, stir together the orange marmalade, lemon juice, soy sauce, mustard, hot sauce, and butter. Season to taste. When potatoes have been roasting for about 25 minutes and can be easily pierced with a knife, remove from the oven and toss with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the glaze. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a bowl, toss with the egg whites until evenly coated. Mix the coconut and panko in a large Ziploc bag, and lift the shrimp from the egg whites, shake briefly and place inside the bag. Secure the top and shake well, coating the shrimp.

Pour about 1/8-inch vegetable oil into a large frying pan over medium heat, and when oil is very hot but not smoking, brown the shrimp in batches, about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through; drain on paper towels. Wipe out pan and add more oil as needed, until all of the shrimp are cooked.

Serve the shrimp alongside the sweet potatoes, with the remaining glaze in a bowl for dipping the shrimp.

This makes a great hors d'oeuvre or can be served as an entrée.

Creamed Smoked Salmon and Leeks


from Bon Appétit, May 1996
via Richard Lonergan

serves at least 6 as an appetizer

3 tablespoons butter
4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons finely chopped (or snipped) chives

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup cream to skillet; cook over very low heat until almost all of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat broiler. Butter a medium sized broiler-proof dish. Stir salmon into leek mixture. Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Pour 2 tablespoons cream over leek mixture. Broil until top is golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.

I had unused leeks and extra smoked salmon and found this via Google (or was it Bing?) We’ve used it as an appetizer with crackers or baguette slices whenever we can. It always seems to disappear. Quick and easy!

Hung Huyn's Olive Oil Baked Shrimp

from Catch Restaurant
via Sue Gilbert

serves 4

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup white wine


Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine all ingredients in an oven-safe sauté pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Fast, very simple and tasty. Hung Huynh is a Top Chef and owns New York restaurant Catch.

"I-Made-It-Myself" Pizza


adapted from Better Homes and Gardens article,
“Garden Fresh with Michelle Obama,” August 2011
via Katy Lonergan

serves 6 (½ pizza each)

2 to 2½ cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1 package pizza crust yeast* or quick-rise active dry yeast
1½ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water (120° to 130° F)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
½ cup whole wheat flour

1 to 2 toppers, such as:
chopped sweet pepper, chopped fresh spinach, thinly sliced tomatoes, sautéed onion,
sautéed zucchini, and/or cooked mini turkey meatballs

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1¼ cups of the white whole wheat flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt; add warm water and oil. Stir until combined, the stir vigorously for 1 minute. Stir in whole wheat flour and ½ cup of the remaining white whole wheat flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a dough that is smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Press or roll out dough to form 3 oval pizza crusts. Grease two large baking sheets. Transfer dough to baking sheets. Prick crusts with a fork. Bake crusts 8 minutes or until light brown. Spread baked crusts with sauce. Add toppers and cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more or until bubbly.

*Pizza crust yeast is specially formulated so no rising time is necessary. Find it in the baking section.

This recipe scored a 10 out of 10 according to Tate and Lulu Lonergan. They especially loved the ketchup. This is amazing for kids who aren’t typically that crazy about pizza.

Scallops and Bean Sprouts au Jeff Geffine

via Katherine Koelsch Kriken

serves 4 as an appetizer

3 to 5 fresh sea scallops
¾ pound mung bean sprouts
1½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoons sesame oil
½ cup rice bran oil
¼ cup chopped scallions for garnish


Wash and drain the scallops. Place on a heat-proof dish in a steamer. Steam scallops until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Using your fingers, tear the scallops into fine shreds. Lay shredded scallops on a paper towel to remove any remaining moisture.

Wash the bean sprouts and, if desired, remove the dark ends.

Heat ½ cup rice bran oil in a wok or large frying pan, over medium heat. Add scallop shreds, stirring until golden brown. Remove and drain scallops. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.

Save 4 to 6 tablespoons cooking oil in the wok or pan. Heat over high flame and add bean sprouts, sugar, vinegar and remaining salt. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until bean sprouts are well heated. Add sesame oil, stir and remove to serving platter. Sprinkle crisp fried scallop shreds and scallions on top and serve hot.

Very simple, tasty and quick as appetizer or Asian menu side dish. Increase ingredients for a main dish alongside jasmine rice.

Bok Choy Salad

Photo by Katy Lonergan

from Dona Malan
via Anne Halsted

serves 16

For the salad:
1 bag of baby bok choy
1 bunch scallions
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sliced almonds
2 packages crunchy Ramen noodles, broken up (don’t use seasoning packet!)
2 tablespoons canola oil
sprinkle of garlic powder

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ cup sugar
¾ cup oil


Wash and slice bok choy into bite sized pieces, dry and chill in a plastic bag.

In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add canola oil, then add sesame seeds, sliced almonds, broken up Ramen noodles, and the sprinkle of garlic powder. Sauté for a few minutes; be careful not to burn the sesame seeds. Remove from heat, cool, and store in a plastic bag or other reusable container.

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and oil. Bring to a boil for 45 seconds. Promptly remove from heat to cool and store until ready to serve.

When ready to serve combine the 3 mixtures and toss!

Delicious salad for a crowd – can be prepared way in advance and holds up for hours!

Be sure to use uncooked, hard ramen noodles for a wonderful texture contrast.

Feta and Watermelon Salad with Arugula

adapted from the Boston Globe Magazine, July 2010
by Elizabeth Whitney and Bill Maddix

serves 6


5 cups bite-size cubes of seedless watermelon (about 1¼ pounds trimmed)
Salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large shallot, minced (about ¼ cup)
Pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 cups (loosely packed) arugula (or mixed salad greens), washed and dried
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup crumbled/cubed feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
⅓ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped


Toss the watermelon gently with ¼ teaspoon (or so) salt in a colander set over a large bowl; refrigerate until the watermelon exudes about ¼ cup juice, about 30 minutes. Discard the juice.

Mix the lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Vigorously whisk in the olive oil to blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Toss the arugula with half of the dressing mixture, and spread on a large serving platter or arrange on individual serving plates.

Combine the watermelon, tomatoes, feta, mint and the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Spread on the bed of greens. Serve immediately.

Mixing watermelons with different color flesh adds a colorful twist. We find that the salad is best with a fairly firm fresh feta; good quality really makes a difference. We use as many or as few greens as we have available; the fruit, tomatoes, and feta with the dressing are what counts.

Golden Beet and Beet-Greens Salad
with Yogurt, Mint and Dill

Photo by Julie Christensen

from The New York Times
via Anne Halsted

serves 4 to 6

2 pounds medium golden beets in skin, well washed (or other beets)
12 to 16 ounces beet greens (or chard or other greens)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

For the vinaigrette:
⅓ cup red onion or shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon toasted cumin-coriander mixture
Pinch Cayenne
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the yogurt sauce:
1 cup full-fat plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, finely grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch Cayenne
1 teaspoon toasted cumin-coriander mixture
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly snipped dill for garnish

Prepare the beets: Put beets in a baking dish in one layer (if some beets are larger, halve them so they will cook evenly). Add about 2 inches of water to the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375° F for at least an hour, or up to 1 ½ hours, until fork tender. Remove foil, pour off the liquid and let cool for a few minutes, then peel while still slightly warm. Cut into wedges and set aside.

Cut beet greens into 1-inch ribbons, then wash well 3 times in abundant cold water to remove any sand or grit. Bring a large pot salted water to boil. Add the greens and cook briefly till wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain, cool under running water, then squeeze out excess water.

In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant and just lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Grind into a coarse powder in a mortar or spice mill.

Make the vinaigrette: Put the onion, garlic, and vinegar in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes or so, then whisk in the remaining ingredients.

Make the yogurt sauce: Put the yogurt in a small bowl. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, cayenne, cumin-coriander mixture, mint, and olive oil.

Season the beet wedges lightly with salt and dress with half the vinaigrette. In a separate bowl, lightly salt the greens and dress with the remaining vinaigrette. Arrange the dressed beets and greens on a platter and top with a little smear of the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with the dill, and pass the rest of the yogurt sauce at the table.

The thing we love about this recipe is that the vinaigrette and yogurt sauce can be used for other purposes. The yogurt, cumin, and coriander sauce is especially wonderful! You will likely have sauce leftover which will pair well with other dishes such as catfish. The vinaigrette could also be used on kale and chard. Loved it!

Mixed Greens with Crispy Shallots,
Figs and Goat Cheese

Photo by Katy Lonergan

adapted from Sunset, October 2012
via Anne Halsted

serves 6

5 large shallots, peeled and separated into lobes
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
pepper
8 ounces log fresh goat cheese
6 large or 12 small super ripe figs
½ pound greens, or radicchio
¼ cup loosely packed flat parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon saba or honey, divided

Cut shallot lobes in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thick wedges.

Heat a large frying pan (non nonstick) over medium heat, then swirl in 2 tablespoons oil and the butter. When butter begins to foam, add shallots and stir to coat. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and cook shallots 15 minutes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes until completely caramelized (deep golden brown), 15 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Slice cheese into 12 rounds and season them with pepper; then put them aside until assembly.

Cut figs into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Lay cut side up and season with ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil.

If using radicchio, cut lengthwise into ⅓ inch thick ribbons and put in large bowl. Toss radicchio/greens with caramelized shallots, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and 2½ teaspoons honey over salad. Toss to combine.

Assemble salad: first, greens or radicchio, then figs. Place goat cheese on top, and drizzle with a bit of oil and honey over the goat cheese.

This recipe originally called for radicchio, and not greens, and saba, not honey. Because I had neither radicchio nor saba I tried it with greens and honey, and it was delicious!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Photo by Jason Lowe

adapted from The Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
via Katy Lonergan

serves 6

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
½ teaspoon Kosher salt plus more
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
⅔ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Bring quinoa, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1¼ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread out quinoa on a large rimmed baking sheet; let cool. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in ¼ cup dressing. 

Cover remaining dressing and quinoa separately; chill.

Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over.

This can be made one day ahead; just be sure to keep dressing and quinoa separate until ready to serve.

Salmon Salad


adapted from Dinner: A Love Story blog
via Karen Lonergan

serves 4

For the vinaigrette:
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Squeeze of fresh lemon or lime
½ cup olive oil

For the salmon:
1 salmon fillet (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper
4 potatoes (Yukon gold, red or blue if you can find them), peeled and quartered
2 ears corn
Handful of thin green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
5 to 6 scallions (white and light green parts), chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, sugar, lemon juice and oil and set aside.

To make the salmon: Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. Roast in a foil-lined baking dish for 15 minutes. (If you prefer to grill the fish, brush with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of honey and cook over medium-hot coals, 4 to 5 minutes on each side.)

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until a knife slices through them with no resistance, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a large serving bowl. Add the corn to the same pot of water. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove to a cutting board, allow to cool, slice off the kernels and add to the serving bowl. Add beans to the same pot of water and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions and cilantro to the bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette and serve.

Slow-Broiled Salmon
with Shaved Cucumber Salad


Styled by Amanda Gold; Photo by Craig Lee
adapted from the San Francisco Chronicle, June 17, 2012
via Jeanne Milligan

serves 4

½ large English cucumbers
½ tablespoon sesame seeds
2½ tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 1½-pound slab center cut salmon
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Place the oven rack on the lowest shelf of the oven, and preheat the oven to broil. In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast sesame seeds until just fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the cucumber salad, use a vegetable peeler to remove and discard the cucumber peel. Cut the whole cucumber in half crosswise, so that you have three equal pieces. Working one at a time, continue peeling the cucumber; press firmly to create the thickest ribbons possible into a bowl, turning the cucumber around as you work toward the center. Discard the seeds.

Pour the vinegar and oil into the bowl, and toss well to combine. Add toasted sesame seeds and season generously with salt and pepper, set aside.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place salmon in the center of the pan. Spread the mayonnaise evenly over the top of the salmon. Shake the pepper over the mayonnaise.

Place in the oven on the bottom rack and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling and the salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Remove, let cool slightly, and serve family-style with the cucumber salad.

This recipe also suggests garlic salt on top of fish rather than pepper. Be careful with amount of garlic salt.

Tomato, Fresh Fig and Blue Cheese Salad

adapted from The New York Times, August 3, 2012
via Jeanne Milligan

serves 4

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large or 2 small ripe tomatoes, about 8 ounces, thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh figs, cut into quarters
1 ounce crumbled blue cheese, like Fourme d’Ambert, or more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves


In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and salt. Whisk in oil.

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast pine nuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until light golden, about 2 minutes.

Spread tomato slices on a salad plate. Scatter fig quarters and pine nuts over tomatoes, Sprinkle with cheese and thyme, drizzle with dressing, and finish with pepper.

Cantaloupe, Lime and Chili Soup


adapted from Martha Stewart Living, July 2012
via Marilyn Manning

makes 1 quart

a 3-pound cantaloupe
¾ teaspoon sambal oelek (Asian chili paste)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon coarse salt


Cut flesh of cantaloupe into large chunks. Purée with sambal oelek, lime juice and salt in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Stir very well, and swirl in more sambal oelek if desired before serving.

This gorgeous simple summer soup has a nice bite to it. Be careful if you add more chili paste. The flavors mellow slightly as the soup chills.

Cold Cream of Tomato and Peach Soup

from a New York Times article in 2011
adapted by Kathy and Jeff Lindenbaum’s friend, Kristi Pangrazio

serves 4 as a first course

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds heirloom or best tomatoes, chopped
½ pound ripe peaches, peeled and chopped (save 4 slices)
½ cup heavy/whipping cream

For garnish: chopped tarragon, heavy cream, sliced peaches, sea salt


Sautée chopped onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and peaches. Simmer until the tomatoes break up. Pour mixture into a blender. Add cream and purée until totally blended. Chill several hours.

Serve in bowls garnished with chopped tarragon, a slice of peach, a drizzle of cream, and a sprinkle of sea salt.

A surprisingly delicious combination!

Tomato Soup and Poached Eggs
Over Homemade Croutons


adapted from Over Cocktails blog
via Karen Lonergan

serves 4 to 6

For the soup:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup shallots, sliced
5 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (no need to remove the seeds)
½ cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 to 6 eggs
2 cups croutons

Optional toppings: crumbled bacon or fried, crispy sage


Melt butter in a large saucepan with lid. Add shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and water; bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for 1½ hours over low-medium heat. Put the soup through a food mill or strain into a bowl. Test for salt and add ground pepper.

Simmer fresh eggs in tomato soup for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how poached you like your eggs. Alternatively, you can poach the eggs separately in a poacher or boiling water.

Place a layer of croutons at the bottom of each soup bowl. Fish your eggs out of the soup with a slotted spoon, and place 1 or 2 poached eggs gently on the bed of croutons in each bowl. Pour soup over the eggs and croutons.

Of course homemade tomato soup is preferred, but I will shamelessly use Trader Joe’s Creamy Tomato soup in a pinch.

I often have leftover homemade croutons in the freezer but if not, they are easy to make with ends of French bread, cut into 1” cubes and sautéed with olive oil while your eggs are simmering. Croutons must be very dry otherwise they will soak up too much liquid.

Tortilla Soup with Pork and Squash

Photo by Anna Williams
adapted from Real Simple Magazine, September 2012
via Katy Lonergan

serves 6

2½ to 3-pound boneless pork shoulder or butt, trimmed and cut in half
2 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds) – peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1½ tablespoon chili powder
Kosher salt
4 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into ½-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon canola oil
Sliced radishes, cilantro sprigs, sliced avocado and lime wedges for serving

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the pork, squash, tomatoes (and their juices), jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, 4 cups water, and 1 ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Fifteen minutes before serving, heat oven to 450° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tortillas with the oil and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Bake, tossing once, until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer pork to a medium bowl and, using 2 forks, shred the meat and return to the slow cooker. Serve the soup with the tortilla strips, radishes, cilantro, sliced avocado, and lime wedges.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also use a Dutch oven and bake at 225° F for 6 - 7 hours, and the pork will be fall-off-the-bone tender. Won ton strips may be substituted for corn tortillas.

Nice recipe!

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Photo by Karen Lonergan

adapted from Rebecca Katz’s Cancer Fighting Kitchen
via Katy Lonergan

makes ½ cup

3½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of Cayenne
¾ teaspoon agave nectar or honey
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk all ingredients together.

The vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days.

It works particularly well with a salad of spinach, oranges, avocado and pistachios. Yum!