Mashed potatoes with dill (dairy free)

The New York Times recently published a dairy-free mashed potatoes recipe, and I took it upon myself to make it fully FODMAP-compatible. I brought some to Easter supper and they were a big hit.

The dill is optional, but adds a buttery-like quality and a nice zing.

Mashed potatoes with garlic and dill
serves 6-8

Cut 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes into 1-inch chunks.

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add potatoes and 2 tsp. salt, and cook at a brisk simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes and mash.

Stir in:
1/4 cup of garlic-infused olive oil
1/2 cup water (to achieve a creamier consistency)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or about 1 Tbsp. dried)

Salmon with cumin and cilantro

Taken from a New York Times recipe.

Salmon with cumin and cilantro
serves 6

Combine in a small bowl:
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/8 cup olive oil

Place whole salmon fillet on a foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, then rub liberally with spiced olive oil mixture.

Cook at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Combine in a food processor:
2 bunches cilantro, rough chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions or chives
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil + garlic-infused olive oil (3:1 ratio recommended)

After sauce is blended, add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve salmon with cilantro sauce spooned over top.

Braised cabbage with bacon

Taken from a Serious Eats recipe, in which the chicken was lackluster but the cabbage was delicious.

Braised cabbage with bacon
6-8 servings

Shred 1 head of green cabbage in a food processor using a slicing disk, as for coleslaw, then set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, brown for about 3 minutes:
8 oz. (1/2 lb.) thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch lardons

Add and cook for 4 minutes, until softened:
1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Add and cook for 4 minutes, until softened and starting to brown:
1 head green cabbage, finely shredded

Add and deglaze:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard

Add:
3 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs of thyme

Place into a 350* oven. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half.

Finish with 2 Tbsp. butter.

Thumbprint cookies

Thumbprint Cookies
30 cookies

Use an electric mixer to cream together until fluffy:
3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened (1.5 sticks)
2/3 cups sugar

Beat in just until incorporated:
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. lemon extract (optional)

Whisk together and add slowly to the butter mixture:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour.

Roll the dough into 1" balls using your palms, then flatten them into fat disks.  Place about 2" apart on baking sheets lined with baking parchment or silicone mats (2 across x 4 down in a half sheet baking pan).

Use a finger to shape an indentation in each disk. A wide, shallow basin makes for the best ratio of jam to cookie.  Fill each with 1/2 tsp. of jam (about 1/3 cups jam total).

Bake 15 minutes at 350, until golden but not browned.  If baking two pans at once, rotate them from top to bottom halfway through.

Remove to wire rack to cool.

Catfish with farro and kale salad

A Blue Apron recipe. The original calls for another element - a grape relish - but the combination of grapes, almonds, and fried rosemary just ended up producing a "peanut butter and jelly" like topping that didn't harmonize with the rest of the dish.

Catfish with farro and kale salad
serves 2

Add 1/2 cup semi-pearled farro to a pot of boiling salted water.  Cook uncovered 16-18 minutes, until tender. Drain and return to the pot.

Season 2 catfish fillets with salt and pepper, then coat in flour. In a non-stick skillet, pan fry in 2 tbsp. butter, 5-6 minutes on the first side, 1-2 minutes on the second.

In a second pan, saute for 2-3 minutes:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 bunch kale, destemmed and rough chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Add and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally:
1/2 c. water

Stir to combine:
cooked faro
cooked kale mixture
2 tsp. lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Five-spice chicken over noodles

Via Blue Apron. The original recipe calls for the chicken to be cooked first, then the same pan used to create the sauce. This makes a tedious sauce prep even longer, so here I've swapped that for cooking the collard greens in chicken stock. I also excised the mushrooms that were to be cooked along side the collard greens, but feel free to toss 3 oz. back in.

Five-spice chicken over noodles
serves 2

In a saute pan, cook for 8-10 minutes:
1/2 bunch collard greens, destemmed and sliced into ribbons
3/4 c. chicken stock

Add and cook 2-4 minutes more until softened: 
4 cloves garlic, minced
1" fresh ginger, minced
1 green onion, sliced
1 baby fennel bulb, diced small (discard stems and root end)

Add and cook 6-8 minutes, until liquid volume has reduced by half:
1.5 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1.5 cups water

Meanwhile, prepare chicken and noodles.

Season two chicken breasts with 1 tsp. five spice powder each, plus salt and pepper. Cook ~4-6 minutes per side.

Boil 4 oz. linguine until al dente. After draining, toss with 1 tbsp. sesame oil.

Serve in bowls, with linguine on the bottom. Divide vegetables and broth between the bowls. Top with a sliced chicken breast.

Shopping list
collard greens, 1 bunch
fresh ginger, 1"
green onions
baby fennel bulb

Check the pantry
five spice powder
linguine
garlic
hoisin sauce
soy sauce
chicken broth

Salmon with Three-Lemon Creme Fraiche

This recipe takes a lot less time and effort than its fancy name implies. Impress your guests! It comes courtesy of Serious Eats, with the "quick" preserved lemon cheat recipe from Mark Bittman.

Creme fraiche can be easily swapped with Mexican crema or in a pinch with sour cream, although you might want to water down sour cream to loosen it up a bit.

Salmon with Three-Lemon Creme Fraiche
Serves 6

Create preserved lemon in an acid-proof vessel and let rest at least 30 minutes:
1 whole lemon, diced small
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

To create sauce, stir together:
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. preserved lemon
1/2 cup crème fraîche
salt and pepper to taste

Place on a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil:
1 bunch fresh thyme leaves
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 whole salmon filet, covered in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

Roast at 350 until the internal temperature registers 130, about 15-25 minutes.