Vegetable Coconut Curry

August 15, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

A few weeks ago I was asked to participate in a curry cook-off fundraiser through which my dear friends Antonio and Nicole from Science in a Suitcase were raising money for volunteers to go on a trip to Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India. Their organization sends engineer volunteers to third-world countries to expose children to science.

I got to know Nicole and Antonio through my job, but we really got to be friends when earlier this year I volunteered for them in Siem Riep, Cambodia teaching elementary school kids Lego Robotics. I spent three days at a local school teaching with legos and building cool stuff like motorized tuk-tuks and boats with a group of super shy yet creative kids. Even though it was exhausting spending 8-10 hours in a hot classroom with no A/C, it was so rewarding. It felt so good to share my passion for science and engineering with such a bright and eager group--they even came to school on a Saturday just so they could spend an extra day learning from me. Education isn't a given in that part of the world, and children don't take it for granted like is often the case here at home.

The trip to Cambodia wasn't work-related though. Everything was organized by my amazing girlfriend Roni, who singlehandedly made all the arrangements to make sure we had a great time there. I haven't mentioned it yet here, but Roni has a social business called krama wheel that empowers women in Cambodia to work from home and help kids get access to education: for each handmade scarf or beach throw sold she donates a school uniform to a child in need.

If you aren't familiar with recent Cambodian history, in the late 70's during the Khmer Rouge regime under the leadership of Pol Pot, over 25% (2-3 million out of 8 million people) of Cambodia's population was executed or died in forced labor camps due to strenuous working conditions, malnutrition and lack of medical care. Most of the victims were intellectuals ranging from doctors to teachers. Pol Pot's idea was to create an agrarian socialist country where only peasants were needed. According to his calculation, to achieve this utopia he needed only one or two million people.

The effects of those horrible crimes are still noticeable in Cambodia. Literacy and education rates are low and poverty is peaking. On this trip I had the chance to experience what fuels Roni's drive to succeed with krama wheel. She took me to some of the most isolated villages in rural Cambodia where families cannot afford to send their children to school for various reasons, one common one being that they don't have the funds to buy school uniforms (which are mandatory), another being that families require their children to help in the fields to ensure a successful harvest to make ends meet.

I come from a poor country and lived under the communist regime of Ceausescu. I know what is it like to have meager food rations. I know what is it like to have no freedom of speech, to live in fear of the secret police agency (Securitatea). It was bad, but at least I had access to education. Education is what helped me be the person I am today. That's why I feel so strongly about education and wanting to help others in need. I truly feel that education is the most powerful tool for changing the world.

As for the curry, I didn't win the cook-off. An absolutely amazing lamb curry came in first and a duck curry in second. Mine was one of the top-voted among the vegetarian curries and I received praises by many of my Indian co-workers, which honestly made me feel more honored than any award could. The vegetable list in the recipe is pretty extensive. I added so many, because I had to cook for 8-10 people, but you can opt to add less. Enjoy!

VEGETABLE COCONUT CURRy

Serves 6-8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 can coconut paste (about 14 oz) (or coconut milk with 1 tsp potato starch)
6 oz Greek yogurt - optional (add more coconut paste if you want it vegan)
6 oz tomato paste
3 TBS ghee (or unsalted butter)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 TBS kosher salt
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced to 1/4 inch cubes
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 lbs ravaya eggplants, trimmed and quartered to 1 inch chunks (or regular eggplants)
1 lb cauliflower florets
3 cups vegetable broth (4 cups for more curry sauce)
1/2 lb French beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained - optional
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted cashews
salt, to taste

Paste

3/4 cup unsalted cashews, soaked in warm water for 15-20 minutes
3-4 Thai chilies, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cilantro stems, roughly chopped
7 garlic cloves, crushed
2 inch ginger root, crushed and roughly chopped
4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly diced
1 TBS kosher salt

Tempering

1 bunch fresh curry leaves (about 15-20 leaves)
1 cinnamon stick
8-10 cloves, whole
8-10 green cardamom pods, whole
2-4 black cardamom pods, whole
1 tsp black mustard seeds, whole
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds - optional
2 dried bay leaves
1 star anise, whole

Paneer

1 tsp peanut oil (or canola, or sunflower seed)
14 oz paneer, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp coriander, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp peanut oil (or canola, or sunflower seed)
1 tsp salt

Instructions

In a bowl combine coconut milk, yogurt and tomato paste. Whisk until all ingredients are combined. Let the mixture sit at room temperature while you proceed with the rest of the recipe.
In a food processor mix all the ingredients under paste. Pulse until you reach a smooth consistency. Set aside.
In a large deep stainless steel skillet heat one tablespoon ghee over medium-high heat. When it melts and starts smoking add all spices under the tempering section. Toast until mustard seeds start to pop and spices become aromatic, about 1 minute. At this point you can remove and discard the larger spices (cloves, anise, cardamom, bay leaves, fenugreek seeds) if you'd like, as the spices already released their aromatic oils.
Add the rest of the ghee, let it melt and then mix in onions. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent.
Pour in the paste mixture and cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Add turmeric, chili, coriander powder, and one tablespoon salt. Stir well.
Add sweet potatoes (do not add the regular potatoes yet, if using), carrots, eggplant and cauliflower. Pour in the veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy. Remember that you'll cook them more so don't overcook them.
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine one teaspoon oil, paneer cubes, coriander, turmeric and chili powder. Mix well until the paneer is evenly coated. In a non stick pan heat the rest of oil (2 teaspoons) over medium heat. When the oil is hot and it easily slides across the pan, add paneer cubes. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 5-10 minutes. When done, sprinkle with salt, transfer the paneer to a plate and set aside.
Return to the large skillet. Temper the coconut and yogurt mixture by transferring one ladle at a time of the hot curry into the mixing bowl. Once tempered, pour the mixture into the skillet, and stir to combine.
Add potatoes, beans, chickpeas and paneer and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust saltiness. Chances are that the curry will need a lot more salt.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with cilantro and more cashews if you'd like.

NOTES

Some of the spices used for tempering are unpleasant to bite into. I personally don't mind them (except for the fenugreek which is very bitter) and usually just leave them all in the curry and remove them when eating. Alternatively you can use a tea ball for the more intense spices after you toasted them.
Don't be surprised by the amount of salt you'll need to use. It's normal when working with vegetables.
Serve hot over basmati rice or with naan bread with a side of raita.

Moroccan Chicken with Jalapeño Garlic Yogurt Dipping

August 10, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Appetizer, Condiment

Nothing says summer like grilling and a cold beer. Grilling meats ranks very high up on the "manliest things to do" list. It's such an ego boosting experience to serve your partner or friends a perfectly cooked piece of sizzling meat. If you think about the amount of effort that goes into grilling you realize that it's the best possible return on time and skills investment. I'm not to say that grilling is the most simple type of cooking, but in all honesty, I strongly believe that any man is able to do it. Especially if there is cold beer involved.

In my opinion, the secret to perfectly grilled meat lies in the marinade or rub that you used. This recipe calls for an exotic North African mix of fragrant spices like cumin, cinnamon and coriander that will elevate the bland flavor of the chicken breast. Chicken breast is actually one of my least favorite meats to cook. It's bland and hard to cook. If you undercook it, you risk getting yourself and your guests sick with salmonella. If you overcook chicken breast, it gets dry and ends up tasting how I imagine a rubber shoe sole tastes.

Personally I prefer making these kabobs with boneless chicken thighs or lamb. If you decide to use lamb, you'll need to marinade it a bit longer, preferably overnight. As far as cooking is concerned, grilling lamb may take less than 15 minutes if you like it medium or rare. If you're afraid of the strong and bold gamey flavor, be assured that the fragrant spices in this recipe will neutralize it a bit.

I usually serve these kebobs with warm pita bread and a garlicky, slightly spicy yogurt sauce that contrasts well with the sweetness of the meat. Besseha!

Moroccan Chicken with Jalapeño Garlic Yogurt Dipping

Serves 2-3
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Inactive time: 2 hours

Ingredients

1 lb boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (breast or thighs or lamb)
1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger, crushed and finely chopped
3 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili
1 tsp Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
coarse sea salt, to taste

Jalapeño Garlic Yogurt Dip

1 garlic clove, crushed and roughly chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sunflower seed oil (or peanut, canola, or vegetable)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 medium lime, juiced (juice of 3 key limes or 2-3 TBS fresh lime juice)
2 tsp sunflower seed oil (or peanut, canola, or vegetable)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2-3 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Put the chicken chunks in a large ziplock bag or in a non-metalic medium sized bowl. Add lemon juice, garlic, ginger, olive oil, dried oregano, coriander, cumin, chili, Spanish paprika, smoked paprika, cinnamon, black pepper and salt. Mix them well, massaging the marinade into the meat. Put the ziplock in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least two hours.
While the chicken is marinating, mix garlic, salt and one teaspoon oil with a pestle and mortar. Crush garlic and mix until you get a smooth garlic paste. Add mustard, lime juice and remaining oil. Mix well. Move the paste into a small bowl and mix in yogurt, jalapeño, parsley, mint and black pepper. Give it one more stir, taste and adjust seasoning. Let the sauce cool in the refrigerator while you take care of the chicken.
Preheat grill to 450F (230C ) degrees. Prepare a few metal skewers or bamboo sticks. Remove chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Thread an equal amount of chicken chunks on the skewers. Make sure you're not threading them too tightly, as they won't cook evenly and you don't want to serve uncooked chicken.
Place skewers on a hot grill and cook for 15-20 minutes turning them every now and then. If you have a thermometer make sure the inside temperature of the chicken reaches 162-165F (72-73C) degrees.
When done, remove the skewers from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and let them rest for 5-10 minutes.
Sprinkle with olive oil, parsley and coarse sea salt. Serve warm with garlic jalapeño sauce.

Notes

If using bamboo skewers, make sure you soak them in cold water for at least half an hour. That will prevent the sticks from burning while grilling the meat.

Sicilian Caponata with Garlic Toast

August 07, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Appetizer, Side Dish

If you're familiar with my blog, you know that I have a soft spot for stews. I grew up eating them almost weekly. Although most of the times in Romania people will eat meat-based stews it is not unheard of to make stews out of vegetables. Since I'm still sticking to my plan of eating clean in my attempt to get rid of a few extra pounds I decided to try my hand at a vegan dish.

The good news for those who love eggplant as much as I do, is that they are in season. I'm signed up for a bi-weekly delivery of fresh local vegetables from Farmhouse Delivery and the latest vegetable bushel contained these cute baby eggplants that I had no clue what to do with. They were too small for my eggplant lasagna or for my mom's eggplant spread, but too big to pickle them whole. So I looked through my notes on my phone and I found one that said "Make Caponata next time you come across fresh and cheap eggplants". I can't remember exactly where I got the idea from, but it must've been from one of the cooking shows that I've been watching lately.

Caponata is a fragrant Mediterranean eggplant dish that comes from Southern Italy- the island of Sicily to be more specific. It is a versatile summertime classic in Italy. While eggplant, celery, onions, olives, capers, tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar are main ingredients, some Sicilians will add anchovies, artichokes, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms and even chocolate to it. Depending on the region, city or household, opinions are split regarding what goes into the perfect caponata. For me the perfect caponata is one that includes the main ingredients plus a few aromatic herbs for extra flavor.

Caponata can be served warm as a side dish with grilled fish and meats or at room temperature as an antipasto. I found that a nice balance between the sweetness of the vegetables and raisins and the sourness of the vinegar is achieved at room temperature. I went as far as adding a couple of spoons in my scrambled eggs and let me tell you that it was rather delicious. Buon appetito!

SICILIAN CAPONATA WITH GARLIC TOAST

Serves 6-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs eggplant, diced into large 1" chunks
1 TBS kosher salt
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, roughly diced
1/2 cup parsley stems, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1-2 celery stalks, finely chopped (or 1 cup celery root finely chopped)
1 cup green olives, pitted
3 TBS capers, soaked and rinsed
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS sugar
1/2 TBS black pepper, freshly ground
kosher salt, to taste
2 TBS slivered almond, toasted
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 fresh baguette
1 clove garlic

Tomato Sauce

2 TBS olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2-3 scallions, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
4 big ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
6-8 fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Salt the eggplant chunks generously. Use about one tablespoon kosher salt and toss well to make sure all chunks are evenly coated. Let them sit in a colander for about 20 minutes. This will help get rid of the bitterness of the eggplant and will also make it less soggy and more tender when cooked.
While the eggplant is resting prepare the tomato sauce. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil slides easily across the skillet, add shallots, scallions and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Toss in garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and oregano and bring to a boil. When it boils, reduce the heat to low-medium, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, taste and season with salt and pepper and give it another stir. Set aside.
Rinse eggplant under running water to wash off the excess salt. Drain eggplant and place chunks on a tray lined with paper towels. Pat them dry. This is very important because you'll fry them next and you don't want to oil to splatter everywhere.
Once dry, sprinkle coriander and dry oregano coating the eggplant evenly. In a large non stick pan, heat two tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Work in batches if you think that the eggplant won't comfortably fit in the skillet. When the oil is shimmering, add eggplant and toss to coat evenly with oil. When the eggplant chunks are golden brown on each side, about 5-7 minutes, transfer to a paper towel lined tray or wire rack.
In a large and deep stainless steel skillet heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it easily slides across the pan), add onions, peppers and parsley stems, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.
Toss in garlic next, stir and cook for another 2 minutes, then add raisins, eggplant, celery, olives and capers. Toss and cook for another 5 minutes then pour in vinegar and sugar. When the vinegar evaporates, about 5 minute, add tomato sauce. Lower the heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. When done remove from the heat.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley leaves and toasted almonds.
To toast the almonds, heat a small skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add almonds, toast and stir for 2-3 minutes until they become golden brown.
Cut a baguette in half lengthwise (or slice of bread), toast it and then rub one side with garlic. Top toast with caponata. You can serve it cold or warm, whichever you prefer.

NOTES

When frying the eggplant, don't overload the pan, as it will reduce the heat too drastically and the eggplant chunks will absorb all the oil making them soggy and greasy. Instead work in batches if you have to. Split the amount of oil into the number of batches that you'll cook.
Don't use a cast iron pan as tomatoes and vinegar will be used in this recipe. The acidic reaction between the metal (cast iron) and acid (vinegar and tomatoes) will not only alter the color of the tomatoes, but also may damage your pan if it's not seasoned properly.
When toasting the almonds, make sure you toss and stir often as almond shavings burn fast. When done, remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the almonds immediately to a plate as they'll keep toasting even after you removed the skillet from the heat.
Store caponata in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It will keep well for over a week.

Homemade Tagliatelle Cacio e Pepe with Brussels Sprouts

July 31, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

I know a lot of people get nervous when it comes to making homemade pasta, but I've never been intimidated by it. This may come off as cocky, but believe me, it's actually quite simple to make pasta. It consists of four basic ingredients: flour, eggs, olive oil (or water) and salt. Nothing else. It's not like baking or bread making where you have to be super precise, pay attention to the hydration of the dough and all that jazz.

Making pasta was one of my favorite pastimes with my Hungarian grandmother Jolika. She made pasta quite often (that was the only option during the communist regime, as the stores didn't sell such things). Most of the times she made either a traditional Hungarian type of pasta stuffed with prune preserves called derelye (coming soon, I promise) or a thinner variation of the well-known angel hair pasta which she used in her homemade chicken noodle soup. The process is the same as with any other type of pasta. It doesn't matter if you're making tagliatelle, spaghetti, ravioli or linguini you will have to knead, rest, roll, cut and dry the pasta. Five steps and you're done.

Preparing homemade pasta from scratch can be time consuming and exhausting. Nowadays though the process is overly simplified by all the available tools and gadget. Kitchen mixers and pasta machines can be found in a lot of households, but even if you don't have any of these tools, you can still make it happen the old school way. I don't own a mixer, so I have to knead the dough by hand which I actually like doing even though it can be tough on your arms. It gives me a better feel for the consistency of the dough which lets me adjust it by adding water or an extra egg when too dry, or flour when too wet.

When Jolika used to make it, she had to roll out the dough with a rolling pin and then cut it with a very sharp knife. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that whenever she was making pasta she would give me a tiny piece of dough to practice rolling with my own mini rolling pin. It actually helped me a lot, as I still remember what the right consistency for the dough needs to be. Another important thing that I learned from Jolika was to use the right type of flour. Even in Hungary, when making tészta (pasta), we always used nullás liszt "0" which, as you may already have guessed, is the "00" flour. One day I'll have a kid and I'll do the same thing as Jolika did when I was a child

The inspiration for this recipe came from an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation. It's the Sicily episode where he's going to this cute little trattoria and eats what "could be the greatest thing in the history of the world" according to him. When I heard this, I already knew what dinner was going to be the next day. I know that brussels sprouts aren't normally part of this dish, but they were in season and cheap when I came up with this recipe last fall, so I tossed them in. As for the lemon and sunflower seeds, I took a tip from a Bon Appétit Foodcast podcast (How to Make a Killer Summer Pasta episode) that suggested adding a bit of acid and nuts or seeds to elevate the taste of the pasta. Buon appetito!

HOMEMADE TAGLIATELLE CACIO E PEPE WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Serves 2-4
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Inactive time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb "00" flour
2 whole eggs, pasture raised
2 egg yolks, pasture raised
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS olive oil, extra-virgin
1 TBS water (if needed)
1/2 cup "00" flour, for kneading and rolling
1 1/2 TBS salt, for boiling the pasta
2 TBS butter, unsalted
2 thai chilis
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 lb brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
1 TBS olive oil, extra-virgin
1 TBS black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano-Reggiano), freshly grated
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1/2 lemon

Instructions

Start with the pasta. In the center of your work station (preferably a large wooden cutting board) heap up a half pound of flour. Keep the rest nearby. Make a “well" in the center and pour in the eggs and the yolks. Add salt and one tablespoon olive oil and beat the mixture lightly with a fork. Using your fingertips, gradually start incorporating the flour into the egg mixture. Gradually work the dough together until all the flour is mixed in. The dough should be sticky and it should hold together. Depending on the size of the eggs, you may need to hydrate your dough if it is too dry by adding one tablespoon of water.
Knead the dough using the palms of your hand, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Make a ball out of the dough, sprinkle flour, wrap ball in plastic, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in 5-6 equal parts. Slightly drizzle water over a kitchen towel and cover the 5-6 small dough pieces. You will work with one at a time, so the damp towel will keep them from drying out.
Take the first piece of dough, flatten it with your hands so that it is 1-inch thick and sprinkle with a little flour on both sides. Using a pasta maker, roll out the dough. Start with the thickest setting and work your way to the desired thickness. For tagliatelle I usually stop at the 5 setting.
To stretch the pasta into a sheet, roll it through the pasta maker on the rest of the settings, going down one level at a time, rolling it through about 2 or 3 times on each level. The more you run it through the machine, the silkier your pasta will be. If the dough starts sticking at any point, sprinkle some flour on it.
To cut the noodles, run your pasta sheet through whichever cutting attachment you prefer, running it through in the same way as when you stretched out the sheets.
Once the noodles are cut, hang them to dry over a pasta hanger or place them on parchment paper and sprinkle with flour.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water (one and a half tablespoons of salt) to a boil.
While the water is getting hot, heat butter in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and starts foaming, add chilis and garlic. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the brussels sprouts from the pan to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet that you used for the sprouts, heat one tablespoon of olive oil until it slides easily across the skillet. Toss in cracked pepper and roast for 2-3 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts back into the skillet and remove from the heat.
When the water in the pot is boiling drop in tagliatelle and cook for 2-3 minutes at most. Fresh pasta takes a lot less time to cook. Save one cup of pasta water and then, drain the pasta using a colander. Shake off excess water and add pasta to the skillet with the brussels sprouts.
Stir, add the pasta water and cook for about 2-3 more minutes until the pasta is al dente. Remove from heat and add the cheese.
Toss well until pasta is evenly coated. Before serving, squeeze half a lemon all over the pasta and sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds on top.

Notes

When using the pasta maker, run the dough through the largest setting at least 4-5 times, folding it in half after each roll.
When making tagliatelle, I recommend that you don't go higher than setting number 5-6 on the machine as your pasta will be too thin and will break easily. Also the texture is not going to be the same.
Make sure you don't burn the garlic as it will become bitter.

Grilled Corn and Spinach Salad with Avocado Yogurt

July 28, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Salad

It seems like I brought the heat from Asia with me to Austin when I returned from Singapore earlier this month. Up until then, it felt like we were in the middle of the monsoon season with rains and flash flooding hitting Austin. A lot of people complained and begged for the normal Texas summer. Now it's here. It's been here for the last few weeks and it's as hot as ever. The heat combined with the extra pounds that I gained eating ramen every single day (sometimes even twice a day) made my appetite drop a bit.

Starting this week I want to start eating more healthfully and to work out more so I can get rid of those extra pounds. Although I'm really good at finding excuses when it comes to working out, this time I mean it. Things like it’s too hot, Popsi injured her hind leg and I don't have running buddy, or I need to cook more aren't going to cut it anymore.

I decided to start with eating healthier. I still eat a lot of cheese and fatty meats which don't exactly qualify as healthy, but I'm doing my best. Fortunately corn is in season which means that it can be found at any grocery store for really cheap. It is one of the most versatile and hard to mess up vegetables. It doesn't matter if you boil it, grill it or fry it, the flavor is going to be consistently good no matter what.

Grilled corn is one of my favorite things to eat during the summer. My family in Romania boils corn which I almost never do anymore. It's not because I don't like it that way, but mostly because it takes too long. As a kid my favorite way of eating corn on the cob was by brushing it with butter, seasoning it with salt, wrapping it in aluminum foil and tossing it in the fire for about 10-15 minutes. We'd do the same with potatoes every time we made a camp fire. It's very simple, yet so delicious especially when served with butter.

The inspiration for this salad came when Roni introduced me to a Tacodeli salad bowl. I think she was dieting or something because we almost never order salad at Tacodeli. The sweetness of the corn goes extremely well with the saltiness of the bacon, while the texture of the avocado contrasts nicely with the crunchy pumpkin seeds and the crispy bacon. It's heavenly!

I decide to grill a pork chop to add some extra protein to my salad. I need that, otherwise I get hungry half an hour after eating it. It is a very lean cut, so make sure you don't overcook it. It's usually best at 145F (63C) inside temperature, but I take it off the grill at around 140-142F (60C) and then wrap it in aluminum foil for about 10 minutes. The meat will continue cooking for a bit even after you removed it from the grill which will make the chop to reach 145F. Cheers!

GRILLED CORN AND SPINACH SALAD WITH AVOCADO YOGURT

Serves 2-4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 ears fresh corn
1/2 TBS olive oil
1 pork chop, 1 inch thick
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
5 slices bacon
3-4 oz. fresh baby spinach
1 medium avocado, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup pickled onions
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
coarse sea salt, to taste

Avocado Yogurt Dressing

1 thai chili, deseeded and chopped (or jalapeño, serrano, etc)
1 medium shallot, finely sliced
1 cup plain yogurt
1 medium avocado, pitted and chopped
1 TBS bacon fat (or olive oil)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
salt, to taste

Instructions

Preheat grill to 450F (230C) degrees.
Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Lightly brush corn with oil.
Pat the pork chop dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large cold skillet, lay bacon strips without overlapping them. In order for your bacon to become crisp don't overcrowd the pan and start with a cold skillet.
Heat skillet over medium-low heat and cook bacon slowly. When it starts to buckle and curl, about 5 minutes, flip it to the other side. Keep flipping until you reach the crispiness level of your desire.
Transfer bacon from the skillet to a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate. Save about 1-2 tablespoons of fat for the dressing. Once the bacon is cooled off, chop it roughly into bite-sized pieces.
Crank up the heat under the skillet to medium-high. If you have too much grease left in the skillet, spoon out as much as you'd like, but leave about 1-2 tablespoons. Once it starts shimmering add the chilis. Cook for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and add shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots are soft and brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and scoop the shallot and chili mix into a food processor. Add yogurt, avocado, bacon fat, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until dressing becomes smooth and glossy. Let it rest in the refrigerator until you take care of the rest.
Place corn and pork chop on the grill. Grill until corn starts to pop, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking and turning until all sides are slightly charred. The pork chop will need about 10-12 minutes on the first side. Flip over to the other side and cook for 6-7 more minutes or until the thermometer reads 140-145F (60-62C). Once the pork chop is ready, remove from the grill and wrap it in aluminum foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving it. Remove the corn as well and let it cool until you can handle it.
Cut the kernels from the cobs and add them to a large bowl. Add spinach, pumpkin seeds, bacon and pickled onions. Add a tablespoon of avocado dressing and toss until well mixed.
Place salad on a plate, add avocado slices, pork chops slices and more dressing on the side. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!

NOTE:

If you like bacon really crispy I recommend you use a wire rack. It's a restaurant secret.
When measuring the temperature use the thermometer where the meat is the thickest.