Sweet Potato Taco Bowls

If you liked the Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls, try these - it's a variation on a similar theme. They go together quickly, too, especially if you use a food processor to shred the sweet potatoes. I used leftover Slow Cooker Southwestern Beans in this, which was great, but you can also use plain black beans. And for this or any other purpose, if you happen to spot Sidehill Farm sour cream, buy some!! It is the best sour cream I've ever tasted.

Olive oil
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3-4 cups cooked black beans, plain or seasoned with cumin and chili powder

Toppings (use what you like):
Shredded lettuce or other greens
Guacamole
Sour cream
Pickled red onions
Pickled chili peppers
Salsa
Hot sauce
Shredded cheddar

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and saute over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until tender. Set aside.

Cook the beef in a medium skillet. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the black beans. Reheat the sweet potatoes if needed.

To serve, place sweet potatoes in the bottom of each diner's bowl, then add spoonfuls of beef, beans, and toppings.

Serves about 4.

Quick Pickled Red Onions

I had a hankering for some pickled onions to go with tacos. Yum! Super easy, too.

2 medium red onions, peeled and sliced thin
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved (optional)
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

Place the onions and garlic in a quart jar. Press them down if needed to make them fit.

Combine the cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Carefully pour over the onions in the jar until they are covered. You may have some extra liquid, depending on the size of your onions and how tightly packed they are.

Cover the jar and let sit on the counter for an hour or two, then refrigerate. You can eat these immediately, but they'll be best after they've had some time to soak. They should keep for several weeks in the fridge.

Makes 1 quart jar of onions.

Split Pea Vegetable Soup with Bacon

You can, of course, leave the bacon out of this for a vegetarian version. Or substitute sausage. But the bacon is really good.

2 1/2 cups dry split peas
1 bay leaf
1 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 cups water or stock (chicken or veggie)
2-3 tsp salt, or to taste
6 medium carrots, cut into coins
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup chopped cooked bacon
2-3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the split peas, bay leaf, mustard seeds, stock or water, and salt in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until split peas are cooked through. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and cabbage and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Stir in bacon, vinegar, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serves 5-6.

Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls

These were a big success. I really like the bowl form factor - you get different combinations of flavors and textures in each bite, plus they look pretty. This one came together pretty quickly, too. A food processor makes quick work of shredding the sweet potatoes. It's a great use for leftover cooked beef or chicken, or you can cook some up specifically. Leftover Spicy Latin-Style Vinegar-Braised Beef would be especially excellent. Be sure to serve with at least some of the recommended toppings.

Olive oil
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (or shred with the sweet potatoes)
2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
2 large sweet peppers, cut into strips (2 inches or so is good)
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked beef (steak, pot roast, etc) or chicken, diced or shredded and heated

Toppings:
Sour cream
Guacamole or diced avocado
Pickled hot peppers
Salsa
Hot sauce
Lime wedges

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and garlic and saute over medium high heat until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the pan.

Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the onions and peppers. Saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and both onions and peppers are nicely browned and a bit charred in places. Stir in the cumin and salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Make sure all elements of the bowls are hot before serving. To assemble the bowls, place a good serving of sweet potato in the bottom, then top with spoonfuls of peppers and onions and meat. Add desired toppings at the table. At least one creamy-textured topping (i.e. guacamole or sour cream) strongly recommended.

Serves about 4.

Southwestern Grilled Vegetables

Any seasonal vegetables will work here, but I do recommend including a tomato and some onion for their flavors. As the tomatoes soften and cook, they will spread themselves over the rest of the vegetables, contributing to the seasoning. Peppers will be nice here when they're ready. I used summer squash and eggplant along with the tomato and onion.

8 cups mixed seasonal vegetables, cubed
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
A couple fresh limes, quartered (optional)

Toss the vegetables in a bowl. Combine the vinegar, oil, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and miss well. Drizzle over the vegetables and stir to coat. Let sit for up to 30 minutes if you have time.

Grill the vegetables in a grill basket. Start them over high heat, stirring every 5-7 minutes. After 10-15 minutes, reduce heat to low and continue to grill until tender, another 10-15 minutes. If you like, turn the heat back up for a few minutes at the end for additional browning.

Top the vegetables with cilantro and a drizzle of fresh lime juice at the table.

Serves about 4.

Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Blue Cheese, and Dried Tomatoes

Here's something else to do with some of those caramelized onions, combined here with local blue cheese (I used Quabbin Blue from Chase Hill Farm) and tomatoes that I dried last summer. The result is layers of flavor that bring out added depth in each other. Sweeter varieties of home-dried tomatoes worked very well here.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
2-3 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 cup caramelized onions
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled or diced
1/4 cup rehydrated dried tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pizza crust, then add the onions, distributing them across the pizza. Add the blue cheese and dried tomatoes, then give it a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Quiche with Caramelized Onions and Feta

One of many possible applications for caramelized onions (which you can make in bulk on the stovetop or in the slow cooker). This quiche is rich and creamy, with a wonderful depth of flavor from the onions.

1 pastry shell for a 9-inch pie (deep dish)
Canola oil
4 large or extra large eggs
1 1/2 cups cream, milk, or combination (whole milk recommended if using milk)
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 ounces crumbled feta
1 cup caramelized onions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare the pastry shell in a pie dish and prick it with a fork. Spray or brush lightly with canola oil.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then stir in the cream (and/or milk), salt, and pepper until well mixed.

Spread feta and onions into the bottom of the pastry shell, then pour the egg mixture over them. Transfer the pie dish carefully to the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the custard is set (it should still be quite soft, but not runny).

Remove quiche oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves about 4.

Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

The humble onion is a great locavore winter staple, usually available in plentiful quantity. Transformed by caramelization, they add a rich, intense shot of flavor to whatever recipe you use them in. They'll keep for at least a week in the fridge, and they freeze well, so it's worth making a big batch once in while.

I love caramelized onions, but until now have made them only infrequently because of the time required to be spent standing in front of the stove to do the job properly. It seemed worth trying in the slow cooker, and I have to tell you, this is brilliant. You can make a whole big batch this way with minimal time spend having to tend them. That said, this is best done on a day when you'll be at home and can check in on the onions and stir them once in a while. Because slow cookers vary in shape and power, you'll need to see your particular one does here. My own is a large oval one, fairly new and pretty hot on the High setting.

Step 1: Fill your slow cooker with thinly sliced onions. Drizzle generously with olive oil and stir until the onions are all well coated.

The exact amount with vary with the size of your cooker. You don't have to make a full sized batch if you don't want to.

Step 2: Cook the onions on High, stirring once in a while. There will be a tendency for a few of the slices right at the edge to get brown and crispy and stick to the sides, so you'll want to stir them around periodically. This also gives you a chance to check on their progress. If your cooker runs especially hot on the High setting, you may want to switch it to Low after a few hours, or go back and forth. After 4 hours or so, my onions looked like this:

Continue cooking the onions, periodically stirring and scraping away from the edges. As they cooked down, I just pressed them inward a tiny bit from the sides of the cooker, which helped preventing sticking.

Step 3: Toward the end of cooking, 7-8 hours in or so, you'll see there's a lot of liquid in the cooker. To really properly caramelize, you need this to mostly evaporate. Leave the cooker on High, but crack open the lid. At this point my onions looked like this:

Step 4: Take the lid off entirely and continue to cook the onions on High, checking in periodically. You can use your judgment on when exactly to do this, but make sure it's a time when you will be able to watch them a little more more closely - checking in every 20-30 minutes instead of every few hours. When the onions are a nice rich shade of brown and the liquid is mostly gone, they're ready:

You can use them straight away, or put them away in the fridge or freezer. 

Alternatively, you could leave them right in the cooker and add beef broth, white wine, salt and pepper to make the soup part of French Onion Soup. (Serve with a good quality peasant bread, toasted, and topped with melted cheese. Gruyere is traditional, but cheddar isn't bad.)

Roasted Tomatoes and Peaches Over Polenta

Peaches and tomatoes share the same season, and they go well together in several contexts, a balance and counterpoint of tangy and sweet. Here they are combined with sweet roasted red onion over polenta, with a sprinkling of feta, fresh basil, and pine nuts to top it all off. Feel free to throw a fried egg on top if you like.

5-6 cups chopped fresh paste tomatoes, seeded and cored
2-3 medium peaches, sliced into slender wedges
1 medium red onion, sliced lengthwise
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal
4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crumbled feta for topping
1 cup chopped fresh basil for topping
1/2  cup lightly toasted pine nuts for topping

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the tomatoes, peaches, and red onion in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Roast for 45-60 minutes, stirring once or twice (the longer you roast them, the more liquid will cook off).

While the tomatoes and peaches roast, prepare the polenta. I have taken to making mine in my rice cooker, but to make it on the stovetop, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the cornmeal and stir in the salt. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened to desired consistency.

Serve polenta in bowls, topped generously with the tomato and peach mixture. Add feta, basil, and pine nuts at the table.

Serves 4-6.

Sweet and Tangy Asian Shredded Pork with Mushrooms and Onions

Here's what to do if you have leftover Slow Cooked Pork Shoulder. This would also work pretty well with leftover pork chops or even pork loin if you slice it up thinly; you just won't get the same shredded texture. Serve this over egg noodles or rice.

Canola oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
3/4 - 1 lb leftover Slow Cooked Pork Shoulder or other pork, shredded or chopped
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
About 1 cup water
Salt to taste

Heat a little canola oil in a large skillet or braising pan.  Add the garlic and saute over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes, then add the onion and shiitakes and saute until tender, 5-6 minutes or so.  Stir in the pork and reduce heat to medium-low.

Combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl, then pour over the meat the veggies and stir well.  Pour in about 1 cup of water and stir to combine everything well, then simmer until the sauce thickens a bit (this shouldn't take long).

Serve hot over egg noodles or rice.

Serves about 4.

Caramelized Carrots and Onions

This is a very simple dish, but the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.  I was actually planning to add a little balsamic vinegar at the end (and still might another time) but it was so delicious when I tasted it that I decided to just leave it as it was.  I served this alongside roast chicken.

2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots, julienned or shredded
3 medium onions, thinly sliced the long way
Salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or braising pan.  Add the carrots and onions and sprinkle with salt.  Saute over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, then reduce heat to low.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or so (longer if you have the time and desire) until the onions and carrots are very soft and pleasantly sweet and caramelized.  Add additional salt if needed.

Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Pizza with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Onions, and Herbs

Here's another pizza using that delicious Fire Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Sauce, this one a bit less unconventional than the last one I posted, with the pears and feta.  Sliced red onion and chopped fresh herbs add some additional interest while letting the flavors of the sauce shine.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
3/4 cup Fire Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Sauce
1 medium red onion, sliced into thin rings
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 oz shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread the red pepper sauce over the pizza crust, then arrange the onion rings over it.  Sprinkle with the  sage and parsley and add a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Top with mozzarella.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Caramelized Fennel and Onion Frittata with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

This is what I did with the rest of my batch of Caramelized Fennel and Onions, after using some on pizza a few days ago.  Goat cheese goes beautifully with these flavors (it would make a nice variation for the pizza, too).  Like many frittatas, this works for any meal of the day.  Can be served hot or at room temperature.

6 eggs, beaten
1 - 1 1/2 cups Caramelized Fennel and Onions
3-4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste 
1 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick (seeds removed)

Combine the eggs, caramelized onion and fennel, goat cheese, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or so if you can.

Oil well a 10-inch oven proof skillet and heat it up over medium heat.  Pour in the egg mixture and make sure the veggies and cheese are evenly distributed.  Cook, without stirring, over low-medium heat until the eggs are largely set.  While you do so, preheat the broiler.  Lay the tomato slices on top of the egg mixture.  Finish the friittata under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through.

Serves 3-4.

Caramelized Fennel and Onion Pizza with Tomatoes

Flavorful, and easy too if you have made Caramelized Fennel and Onions in advance.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
3-4 oz. shredded mozzarella
1 - 1 1/2 cups Caramelized Fennel and Onions
1-2 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick (seeds removed)
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread most of the mozzarella over the oiled pizza crust.  Spread the caramelized fennel and onion mixture over the cheese to form a more or less even layer.  Top with tomato slices.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything, then sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella and a bit of grated Parmesan.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Caramelized Fennel and Onions

This is not a dish by itself but rather a tasty addition to pizza, pasta sauce, etc.  Or try it on bruschetta.  Carmelizing mellows the flavor of fennel and brings out its sweetness, just as is true of onions.

Making this does not take a lot of effort, but it does take a lot of time, so plan to make a large batch sometime when you will be available to check in on it periodically over a few hours.  The finished product will keep in the fridge for at least a few days, or you can freeze it in small quantities for later use.  I've suggested quantities here for the fennel and onions, but you can increase it as you see fit (and as fits in your pot).  The quantities below will fill a Dutch oven to the top at the beginning of the cooking process.

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 very large or 4 medium fennel bulbs, coarsely chopped with cores removed
6 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
Salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot.  Add the fennel and onions and stir to coat with olive oil.  Saute over medium heat for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to low and partially cover.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours, until the fennel and onions have been reduced to a soft mass and have turned a nice golden brown.  Add salt to taste.  You can continue to cook them to a darker shade if you like, but if you choose to do so, be sure to watch them and stir more often to prevent them from going too far.

Makes 2-3 cups.

Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Vegetable Medley

Yet another delicious way to grill some of summer's bounty.  I served this with risotto.

2 medium-large summer squashes or zucchinis, cut up
3 medium eggplants, cut up
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut up
2 large shallots or 1 medium red onion, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Place the vegetables in a large bowl.  Drizzle generously with olive oil and toss to coat.  Combine the garlic, rosemary, and vinegar in a small bowl or jar, then pour over the vegetables and stir until everything is well coated.  If you have time, let them marinate, stirring occasionally, for up to an hour or two.

Grill the vegetables in a grill basket over medium heat, stirring every 5-8 minutes or so, until done to your liking.  This will take 25-30 minutes, depending on how large or small the pieces are.

Serves 6-8.

Broiled Polenta with Caramelized Onions and Sweet Peppers

An easy January meal from the pantry and freezer. Sometimes even I get tired of root vegetables in the winter.

4 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2/3 cup polenta cornmeal
2/3 cup quinoa
Olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped (frozen ok)
1/2 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4-1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)
4-6 oz shredded mozzarella

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, and whisk in the polenta meal and quinoa. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to stir with a spoon. Be careful, as the cooking polenta is viscous and can bubble up and burn you. Cooking time will vary with the type of polenta you are using. The kind I get at Green Fields Market, in the bulk section, thickens up very quickly, but the addition of quinoa slows it down. You want it to be pretty stiff for this application. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for now.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until until they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. (If you have the time and inclination, feel free to cook them longer for a deeper, richer caramelization.) Add the peppers, basil, and salt and pepper to taste and saute another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and preheat the broiler.

Oil a 9x13-inch inch baking dish. Spread the cooked polenta in the bottom. Top with the sauce, then the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if using, then top with mozzarella.

Broil the polenta for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.

Serves 5-6.

Broiled Polenta with Shiitakes and Red Onions

New England Wild Edibles had HUGE shiitake mushrooms for sale at the farmers market last weekend, meaty and delicious. Their flavor shines through here.

I often like to substitute quinoa for some of the cornmeal when I make polenta, but this is totally optional.

3 cups water
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup polenta cornmeal
1/2 cup quinoa
Olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 oz shredded mozzarella

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, and whisk in the polenta meal and quinoa. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to stir with a spoon. Be careful, as the cooking polenta is viscous and can bubble up and burn you. Cooking time will vary with the type of polenta you are using. The kind I get at Green Fields Market, in the bulk section, thickens up very quickly, but the addition of quinoa slows it down. You want it to be pretty stiff for this application. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for now.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shiitakes, onions, and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and preheat the broiler.

Oil a 10-inch oven-proof skillet or a 7x11-inch baking dish. Spread the cooked polenta in the bottom. Top with the sauce, then the mushroom mixture. Top with mozzarella.

Broil the polenta for about 4 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Pizza with Red Peppers, Goat Cheese, and Rosemary

I keep fresh local rosemary on hand year round by growing some in a pot.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 medium red pepper, finely diced
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2-3 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil, then top with sauce. Sprinkle with pepper and onion, then rosemary. Dot with goat cheese and sprinkle mozzarella over all.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Mac & Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil

It's a whole new level of macaroni and cheese. Here roasted tomatoes and onions are added to the classic along with a handful of chopped fresh basil. Yum! Cherry tomatoes work nicely here; leave them whole if small or slice in half if large.

1 large red onion, sliced or coarsely chopped
2 lbs tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk (room temperature is best)
8 oz. shredded cheddar
1 lb cut pasta (shells are good)
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the onion and tomatoes in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for about 25 minutes, until tender and rich in flavor. Remove from the oven.

While the vegetables roast, make the sauce. Start by making a classic white sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or deep skillet, then stir in the flour. Keeping the heat very low, whisk it constantly as it browns and thickens, bubbling. Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time, over low heat. Whisk constantly until the sauce thickens a bit, then raise the heat to medium until the sauce reaches a simmer. Turn the heat down again at that point and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently (you can switch to a spoon for this).

While the white sauce cooks, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water.

After the sauce has simmered for its 10 minutes, remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese, a handful or so at a time, until it melts. Stir in the vegetables and the basil. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot. Pour the sauce over it and stir to coat evenly. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.