Cooking along

Leek, Potato and Corn Chowder

I like this soup on a rainy day. It's hearty and delicious. It's good alone or sprinkled with cheese, I like feta cheese but you can use any that you like. If you want to be more traditional you can eat this soup with crackers. My sister have been making variations of this recipe forever, and they always turn out great. I recommend to do so. Try changing the vegetables, use cream instead of milk or use creamed corn. The possibilities are endless. This variation is simple and good. If you make any other change please do share with us, and tell us how was it.

Ingredients:

• 2 leeks, white parts (save the greens for vegetable broth) finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 baking potatoes, cubed (about 2 cups)
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 1 zucchini, diced
• water to cover, about 3 cups
• 1 can whole kernel corn, about 11 oz
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook the leeks, garlic and onion in the olive oil until translucent, about 10 minutes in medium heat. Be careful not to brown them. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook 5 more minutes. Add the zucchini and cook 3 minutes. Add the water and a little salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are done. Add the corn and the milk and adjust seasonings. Serve with cheese or crackers.

Green Beans and Tomato Salad

This Salad can be eaten cold or warm. It's a nice accompaniment for pasta or rice and a great picnic food. The recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, but you can use any variety. My friend Margarita likes to mix yellow and red tomatoes to give a little more color.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound green beans
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook the green beans in plenty of water until al dente, that means still crunchy!. Drain them and put them in a bowl of cold water. Cook the garlic in the oil under low heat for about 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and rise the heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the green beans, salt and pepper to taste and just heat trough. Easy and delicious!

Lentil Soup

In my family's table back in Venezuela there is never a day without soup. Even when is hot outside you will find a nice bowl of soup, usually any vegetable or bean soup like this one. This lentil soup can be made with either pasta, or cubed potatoes, choose what you like most. I like it sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb brown dry lentils, about 2 cups
• 7 cups of water (or more if the soup gets too dry)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup any shape of pasta, like shells or macaroni

Pick any dirt or stones that can be in the lentils and wash them. In a big pot mix the lentils and the water, bring them to a boil and then reduce to medium. Cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. In a sauteed pan add the olive oil and onions, cook until translucent for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and cumin and cook for 10 more minutes, season with salt and pepper. Mix the onion mixture into the softened lentils and cook for about 30 more minutes over medium heat. Adjust seasonings and add the pasta, adding more water if it gets too dry. Cook until the pasta is done, and do a final adjustment of the salt (the pasta will absorb some of the salt in the soup, that's why you have to do a last minute adjustment). Serve with some parmesan cheese if you like, and some crusty bread to dunk in the soup. Delicious!

Jose's Caprese salad

This is a fun version of the original caprese salad. Inspired by Jose, with melted mozzarella instead of the fresh one, and with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. It's really a summer dish, but in some markets you can still found this delicious and distinctive tomatoes. And to tell you the truth I just love the picture ;-)

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 heirloom tomatoes (depending on their size)
• 1 ball of fresh mozzarella
• fresh basil
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut the tomatoes in slices, cut the mozzarella cheese in slices and melt in the oven on a non stick baking sheet for a few minutes. Arrange the tomatoes and melted mozzarella in a serving dish, add the chopped basil and drizzle with olive oil,  salt and pepper. Serve immediately, with a slice of crusty Italian bread on the side. Yum!

Black Lentil Salad

My friend Maria Josefina introduced me to this kind of lentils, they are small and black (almost like caviar). They cook very fast (only 20 minutes!) and they do not need to be soaked. It's a great "fast food" dinner, and very nutritious too. If you are in a low carb groove, this is a perfect meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry black lentils
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook the lentils in boiling water for 20 minutes or until "al dente". Do not over cook them!. Drain and run them through cool water. Transfer to a bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients. Let it rest for 10  minutes and enjoy!

Orzo and roasted vegetables salad

This is a favorite recipe for picnics and potlucks, I got the idea from the Barefoot Contessa cooking show in food network. I hope you will enjoy it as much as all my friends!

2 small eggplants, diced (I like the skin on, but if you like it you can peel it)

1 zucchini, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 red onion, peeled and diced
3 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (1 lime)

Final touches:

10 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
4 scallions and 5 pieces sundried tomatoes in olive oil, minced
3/4 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced
10 basil leaves, julienned

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula. When ready take out the garlic cloves, peel, smooth to a paste and add them back to the rest of the vegetables

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl, run cold water over it. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the olives, scallions, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.