Refried Beans | Frijoles Refritos

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans, picked over for stones and impurities
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 large red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade, and minced
1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves or minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large stockpot, bring the beans to a boil in 8 cups water. Let boil for 15 minutes and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Drain beans in a colander and rinse. Wash out the pot and return the beans to the pot with 8 cups fresh water. Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook until tender, about 2 hours over low heat.

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onion turns translucent. Add chili powder, salt, and pepper, and cook for a few minutes to allow flavors to integrate. Drain beans and add to pan, mashing the ingredients together. Heat through and serve with minced cilantro or minced parsley sprinkled on top.
 

Eggplant Parmesan Sauce

Directions

Soak 1 pound cubed eggplant in warm salted water, about 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze dry. Season 1 cup flour with salt and pepper in a bowl. Beat 2 eggs with 1/2 cup milk in another bowl. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup grated parmesan in a third bowl. Dip the eggplant in the seasoned flour, the egg and then the flour-cheese mixture. Fry in 1/4 inch olive oil over medium-high heat until golden; drain on paper towels. Mix with 4 cups Perfect Marinara Sauce. Toss with rigatoni.

Rice and Bean Salad

Directions

Soak 1/2 cup minced red onion in cold water, 10 minutes; drain and rinse. Grate 4 halved plum tomatoes into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 orange, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 diced bell pepper, the onion, 1 drained can pinto beans and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in 2 cups cold cooked rice and some chopped cilantro and scallion. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuscan Salad

Ingredients

8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1/2 red onion, cut into slivers
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce shaved Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)

Directions
Watch how to make this recipe

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until beans are slightly tender. Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 3 minutes. Drain the green beans.

In a large bowl, combine the green beans with the lettuce, cannellini beans, olives, and red onion. Toss to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve.

Vegetable Sushi

Ingredients

For the rice:
3 cups short-grain Japanese rice, rinsed
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Salt
For the rolls:
10 nori sheets (dried seaweed), halved
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1 plum tomato, seeded
1 small red onion
20 asparagus spears, trimmed and blanched
Wasabi paste, for spreading and serving
1 romaine lettuce heart
Pickled ginger, for serving

Directions

Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan.

Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes.

Spread the rice. Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus.

Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori.

Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you.

Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi.