Kettle Corn

From www.instructables.com

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unpopped popcorn
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Utensils needed:

• One or two quart sauce pan
• Large bowl

Put the popcorn in the pot. There should be just enough to cover the bottom in a single layer. Next pour in the olive oil. There should only be enough to barely cover all of the popcorn. Then turn the stove on to medium heat.

 After it has heated up a bit, the oil will start to bubble and the popcorn will begin to swell (this will take about 2-3 minutes). As soon as a couple of kernels pop, sprinkle the sugar on top of the popcorn and place the lid on the pot.

 Shake the pot constantly. Once you add the sugar, the popcorn will stop popping. It will take it about 30 seconds to 1 minute to start popping again. The popping will get very rapid and then begin to slow. Once it slows to once every couple of seconds you will remove the pot from the heat and dump it into your bowl.

Let the popcorn cool for 3 or 4 minutes. Break up the clumps of popcorn and sprinkle the salt over it.

Hummus

From The Hummus Blog

Ingredients
[4 extra-large bowls of Hummus]

• 1 cups dried chickpeas (the smallest you can find)
• 1/2 cup tahini
• juice from 1 squeezed lemon
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon + 1/8-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• salt
• olive oil
• parsley

How do I make that into Hummus?
[Brut: 10-20 hours. Net: 30 minutes]

1. Pour the chickpeas over a large plate. Go over them and look for damaged grains small stones, or any other thing you would rather leave out of the plate.

2. Wash the chickpeas several times, until the water is transparent. Soak them in clean water over night with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Then, wash it, and soak again in tap water for a few more hours. The grains should absorb most of the water and almost double their volume.

3. Wash the chickpeas well and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, add the rest baking soda and NO salt. Cook until the grains are very easily smashed when pressed between two fingers. It should take around 1-1.5 hours, during which it is advised to switch the water once again, and remove the peels and foam which float over the cooking water. When done, sieve the grains and keep the cooking water.

4. Put the chickpeas into a food processor and grind well. Leave it to chill a little while before you continue.

5. Add the tahini and the rest of the ingredients and go on with the food processor until you get the desired texture. If the Humus is too thick, add some of the cooking water. It should be thinner than the actual desired texture.

Serve with some good olive oil and chopped parsley.

Avocado Salsa Verde

From Z' Tejas

*1 jalapeno, stem removed
*4-5 tomatillos
*2 avocados, diced
*1/2 white onion, chopped fine
*2 tbsp cilantro, minced
*1 tsp kosher salt

Place jalapeno and tomatillos in 3 cups of water in a saucepan with a lid, bring to a boil and boil 1 minute. Drain. Combine tomatillos, jalapeno and salt in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add avocados and blend lightly so it remains chunky. Transfer to a bowl. Add onion and cilantro and serve.

Asparagus & Salmon Spring Rolls

Makes 12 rolls
From Eating Well Magazine

Spring Rolls:
*2 lbs asparagus spears
*2 3-4 oz. packages smoked wild salmon
*12 8-inch rice-paper wrappers
*1 ripe avocado, cut into 24 slices
*1 cup shredded carrot
*1/2 cup basil, chopped
*1/2 cup mint, chopped

Dipping Sauce:
*1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
*2 tbsp orange juice
*2 tbsp lemon juice
*2 tbsp sherry or white wine
*1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
To prepare spring rolls:
Bring 1" water to boil in a large skillet. Trim asparagus spears to no longer than 6 inches; add to boiling water. Partially cover and cook the asparagus until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain; refresh under cold water. Cut each spear in half lengthwise. Cut salmon slices into 12 strips no longer than 6" each.

Soak one wrapper at a time in a shallow dish of very hot water until softened, about 30 seconds. Lift out, let excess water drip off and lay on a clean, dry cutting board. Center a strip of salmon in the bottom third of the wrapper, leaving a 1" border on either side. Arrange 4-6 asparagus spear halves (overlapping as necessary) over the salmon. Top the asparagus with 2 avocado slices, 1 tbsp carrot and 2 tsp each basil and mint. Fold the wrapper over the filling and roll into a tight cylinder, folding in the sides as you go. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Cut each finished roll in half.

To prepare dipping sauce:
Whisk sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Serve sauce with the rolls.

Babaganoush

Makes 4 cups
From Everyday Food

*3 lbs. eggplant
*1/2 cup tahini
*1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
*2 to 3 garlic cloves, chopped
*salt and pepper
*olive oil for serving
*parsley for serving
*Kalamata olives for serving

Pierce eggplants several times with sharp knife. Grill or roast until blackened all over and very soft, 20-30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise. Scrape flesh into colander and strain, discard skins.

Process tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in food processor until smooth. Add eggplant and process until smooth.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with olive oil, parsley and olives, if desired.

Bruscetta with Havarti, Fig and Honey

*1 loaf ciabatta bread
*20 dried figs, quartered
*8 oz. Havarti cheese
*honey

Slices the ciabatta loaf in half and then cut each half into slices about 2 inches wide. Toast the bread slices, either in the oven or on the grill until edges begin to brown, 3-5 minutes. Place a slice of Havarti on each piece of bread and toast until cheese melts, 2 minutes more. Remove the toasts and place two fig quarters on each, then drizzle with honey.