tbentley.com

from The New York Times

Ingredients

• 2 jalapeños
• 2 limes, halved
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Large pinch of granulated sugar or a drop of honey
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large Spanish or white onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon chili powder, plus more for garnish
• 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 2 cups grated Cheddar (8 ounces), plus more for garnish
• 1 cup half-and-half, or use 1/2 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• Chopped cilantro, for serving

Preparation

1. Thinly slice the jalapeños, discarding the seeds if you like. Put slices in a bowl and squeeze in enough lime juice to cover them. Add a pinch each of salt and sugar. Let sit at room temperature while you make the soup. (The jalapeños can be prepared up to 5 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator; they get softer and more pickle-y as they sit.)
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery and a large pinch of salt, and sauté until lightly golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
3. Add potatoes, broth and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are very tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender or transferring the soup to a regular blender in batches, purée the soup, adding some water as needed to thin it out. (The soup can be as thick or brothy as you like.)
5. Return the soup to the pot if you removed it and reduce heat to medium-low. Add cheese and half-and-half, and cook at a very gentle simmer, stirring, until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
6. Top each bowl with pickled jalapeños, plus a drizzle of their pickling liquid and a pinch of chili powder, along with scallions, cilantro and more Cheddar.

from Taste Of Home (revised)

Ingredients

• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup minced fresh basil
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• White pepper to taste
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Pozole Verde

2 poblano peppers
1 small jalapeño
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion (about 4 ounces), sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1 (14-ounce) can tomatillos, drained
3 cups water, plus more as needed
1 (25-ounce) can hominy, drained
Kosher salt, to taste
Shredded cabbage, diced avocado, sliced radishes, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, for garnish and serving

Char the peppers
transfer them to a paper bag and fold it up tight
Peel and seed the peppers, then roughly chop them.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro and chopped charred peppers and cook until the onion appears translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the water and cumin, lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a stick blender, puree until smooth. (If using a standing blender, puree in batches as needed to avoid overflow.) Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the drained hominy. Simmer for another 10 minutes, then adjust the consistency with more water, if desired, and taste and season with salt, if desired. Serve in bowls and top with shredded cabbage, diced avocado, sliced radishes, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

Tofu Bites, baked

From It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1 In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.

2 Divide dough into 8 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.

3 In a greased cast-iron or other heavy skillet, cook tortillas over medium heat until lightly browned, 1 minute on each side. Serve warm.

Vegetarian Kofta Curry Recipe
NY Times

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
2 green chiles (such as jalapeño or serrano), stems removed
1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 spring onions or scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 teaspoon garam masala, plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon red chile powder
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
½ cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
8 to 10 ripe Roma tomatoes (about 3 pounds) or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Black pepper

Preparation

Put the garlic, ginger and green chiles in a food processor, and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Put half the paste into a large bowl. Set the rest aside.

Add the beans, spring onions, fresh herbs, bread crumbs, egg, garam masala, chile powder and salt to the large bowl with the paste. Mix well with a fork, mashing up the beans as you go into small pieces.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and arrange on the pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, ginger and chile paste, and sauté until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. If using fresh tomatoes, purée them until smooth in the food processor. Stir the tomato purée or crushed tomatoes, coriander and cumin into the skillet, and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the kofta to the skillet, and turn the heat to low. If necessary, add enough water for the liquid to come about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the meatballs, then simmer another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kofta are warmed through and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a light dust of garam masala and some extra herbs.

Mayo by Bittman

8 ounces silken tofu, about 1 cup
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt

Put all the ingredients in a blender and purée, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula, until the tofu is completely smooth and evenly colored. This could take several minutes; add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if necessary to help the machine do its work.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or vinegar if necessary. Use right away (or transfer to a jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week).