Creamy potato and chive soup

This is a hearty and simple potato soup recipe that is flavored by fresh chives.  This soup gets better and better each day, so the leftovers will taste delicious.  Adapted from The Guardian.

Ingredients

2 T butter
2 medium onions, diced
500g bakinng potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
~1 L chicken stock (not too salty!)
1 very large handful chives, finely chopped
1/3/-1/2 c creme fraiche
1 bay leaf

Instructions

1) Over low-medium heat, melt butter, add onions, and fry until they are translucent, 10-15 minutes.
2) Add potatoes and bay leaf, and add just enough stock to cover. Bring to a boil and let simmer until potatoes are tender, ~20 minutes.
3) Remove potatoes and mash them by hand, i.e. not with an electric blender or masher.  This prevents the potatoes from becoming gluey - a few small chunks are okay and will add to the texture of the soup.
4) Return potatoes to the soup, mix well and add creme fraiche.
5) When the soup is heated through, remove from heat and stir in the chives.
6) Serve soup with a dollop of creme fraiche and more fresh chives.

Zesty stir fry

This is a surprising combination of hoisin sauce and lime zest - the result is a tangy sauce that can be used to flavor any number of stir fried vegetables and tofu.  Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

zest and juice of one lime
3 T hoisin sauce
1 handful of your favorite herbs (basil, cilantro, etc), slivered
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 T grated ginger
1/2 t red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
stir fry vegetables of your choice
sesame oil

Instructions

1) chop the stir fry vegetables to your liking and set them aside, prepared and within arms reach of the stove
2) combine the lime juice, zest, and hoisin sauce, and set aside
3) heat a wok or a large frying pan over medium high heat, and add a generous splash of sesame oil
4) when the oil is hot, add the vegetables, as well as the ginger, green onions, red pepper flakes.  wait a minute, and then add the garlic, as well as any fast cooking vegetables like spinach.
5) after another minute, add the hoisin sauce mixture, cook for ~20 seconds, and remove from heat.
6) stir in fresh herbs, and serve with rice or noodles.

Tzatziki potato salad

If you're in the mood for tzatziki but want something heartier, or if you're looking for a way to spice up the usual potato salad, this is your thing.  Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

3 pounds potatoes (yukon golds or red are best)
1 14oz container greek yogurt
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T white wine or cider vinegar
1 T minced fresh dill (or parsley)
1 clove garlic, minced (add more if you want it really garlicky)
2 t salt
1 large english cucumber, seeded and grated
optional: large handful of chopped beets and 2T chopped green onions

Instructions

1) In a medium pot, cover potatoes in water, bring to a boil, and reduce heat and simmer until tomatoes are tender but not soft, about 30 minutes (it's best to check them at about 20 minutes in.)
2) Drain potatoes and let cool completely, or if in a hurry, stick them in the freezer for ten minutes.
3) Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, garlic, and beets/green onions if using.
4) Once potatoes are cool, cut them into medium sized chunks (for small potatoes, cut them into halves or quarters), and add to yogurt mixture.
5) Season to taste, chill for a few minutes in the fridge, and serve garnished with dill or parsley sprigs.

Chilled cucumber and avocado soup

This is a great summery soup - the avocado makes for a lovely cream texture without the addition of cream, while the yogurt adds tartness and bulk.  Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart.

Ingredients

1 english (large, 12" or so) cucumber, peeled and diced
1 avocado, pitted, and with the insides scooped out
1/2 t lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
a few sprigs of fresh mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 green onion, coarsely chopped
1 c plain yogurt
1 c cold water
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Puree ingredients in a blender (or with a hand blender) until smooth.
2) Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until chilled.
3) Serve garnished with a dash of olive oil and a few sprigs of cilantro.

Barley Risotto with lemon and creme fraiche

This is a delicious and fresh take on risotto: the barley adds a chewy texture, the lemon zest as a fresh twist, and the creme fraiche ensures the creaminess of a non-rice based risotto.  Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

olive oil for frying
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 shallots, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
2 c pearled barley
1 c white wine
6 cups light vegetable stock (make sure it is not too salty!)
grated zest of 2 lemons (add more if you want it really lemony)
1/2 c grated parmesian
1/2 c creme fraiche
3 handfuls of spinach, chopped
1/4 c toasted pine nuts for garnish

Instructions

1) Heat 1-2 T olive oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot, and saute shallots, onions, and garlic for about 4 minutes, until the onions begin to soften
2) Add barley, a dash more olive oil, and stir until coated, cooking for about 1 minute.
3) Add white wine and simmer, 3-4 minutes, until the majority of the liquid has been absorbed.
4) Lower heat to a gentle simmer, and add stock 1 cup at a time, letting the barley absorb most of the stock between additions.  Stir regularly so that the grains cook uniformly, and cook for about 40 minutes, until the barley is soft enough to eat.
5) When the barley is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest, parmesian, creme fraiche, and greens.
6) Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with pine nuts.

Savory Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake

This is a very interesting savory cheesecake filled with zucchini, shallots, and lemon zest. It's sort of like a savory tart, but without the crust - just a bit more creamy and indulgent. Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

2 c zucchini, unpeeled and grated
1 t salt
2.5 c ricotta (I substituted a 50-50 combination of marscapone and cottage cheese and it worked really well)
1/2 c parmesian
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 c fresh dill, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c fresh goats cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 325F/165C, and butter a 7" springform pan (a larger pan is fine, just reduce the cooking time)
2) Squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as possible and set aside.
3) Combine ricotta, parmesian, shallots, garlic, dill, and lemon zest, and stir in the eggs until well mixed.  Then stir in the zucchini.
4) Fill the springform pan with the mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 60 minutes.
5) Remove from oven, sprinkle with goats cheese, and return to oven for another 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the cake barely jiggles in the center.

Otsu (sesame buckwheat noodles)

This is a quick, easy, and very fresh tasting recipe with soba noodles.  If you haven't had these before, they're an earthy and flavourful alternative to regular pasta.  The trick to this recipe is the sauce, it's tangy, sweet, and a bit spicy.  Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

For the sauce

zest of 1 lemon
1" piece ginger, grated
1 T honey
3/4 t cayenne
1 T fresh lemon juice
3 T rice vinegar
4 T soy sauce
2 T olive oil
2 T toasted sesame oil

For the noodles

12 oz dried soba noodles
12 oz extra firm tofu
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 medium cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/4 c toasted sesame seeds
Vegetable oil for cooking

Instructions

1) For the dressing, combine lemon zest, ginger, honey, and cayenne.
2) Then add lemon juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and combine.
3) Drain the tofu, press out the extra water, and cut it into small cubes.
4) Heat several T of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the tofu cubes until they are crispy. To do this, let the tofu sit in the pan, covered, for about 3 minutes on each side before flipping/turning.  The key here is not to stir the tofu too much.
5) Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, and cook soba for 3-4 minutes (or whatever the packaging says), until it is just tender.  Drain and immediately rinse under cold water.
6) When the noodles are done cooking, in a large bowl combine the soba, cilantro, tofu, green onions, cucmber, and dressing.  Toss until well combined, and serve covered with sesame seeds.