The rhyme rings true: Sue Li’s Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew recipe is quick to make and a delight to eat. In a velvety mix of white beans simmered with browned leeks and plump, tender shrimp, she pairs smoked paprika with lemon juice for a bright and earthy edge. She says it serves four but, let’s be real, that’s just a suggestion.

Serves 2-4

New York Times

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest, plus 2 Tbs juice
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 garlic cloves, grated
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp (tails removed)
4 Tbs. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 large leeks, trimmed, then halved lengthwise, white and green parts sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley
Toasted bread for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine lemon zest, paprika, garlic, 3/4 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter is foaming, add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and starting to curl, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a plate; set aside.

Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium until leeks are soft and starting to brown on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil over high. Lower heat and simmer, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp and any juices from the plate, parsley, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with toasted bread.

Indulge in the rich and comforting flavors of Nigella Lawson’s Farro Risotto. This delectable dish combines tender, pearled farro with savory crimini mushrooms, fragrant thyme, and a touch of Marsala for a truly irresistible taste. As the farro cooks to perfection, the creamy ricotta and grated Parmesan melt into the mixture, creating a luscious and velvety texture. Topped with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, this Farro Risotto is an elegant and satisfying choice that will transport your taste buds to culinary bliss.

Serves 4-6

Nigella Lawson

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup dried porcini
1/2 cup recently boiled water
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 leek s(washed & trimmed), halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
2 3/4 cups pearled farro (perlato)
1/4 cup Marsala
5 cups broth, vegetable, chicken, or porcini
8 ounces crimini mushrooms
sliced leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1-2 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS
Cover the dried porcini with 1/2 cup of recently boiled water, then fill the kettle and put it on the heat again if you are making up the broth with concentrate, cube, or powder. In a wide, heavy saucepan (that comes with a lid) add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the fine jade tangle of leek, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the leeks are softened.

Drain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid, then chop them and add them to the pan. Stir well, then add the farro and turn it gently but thoroughly in the pan. Tip in the Marsala and porcini-soaking water and let it bubble up.

Make up the broth as wished and add this to the farro pan, stir, bring to a boil, and then clamp on a lid, turn down the heat, and let it cook at a simmer for 30 minutes, until the farro is cooked and all the liquid absorbed. (Note: May have to cook the farro about another 10 minutes with the lid off to absorb all of the liquid.)

While the farro is cooking, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium-sized frying pan and cook the sliced crimini mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften (they will first seem alarmingly dry) at which point add the thyme, grate in (or mince and add) the garlic, and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are juicy and soft. Remove from the heat if there is still time on the clock for the farro. Once the farro is cooked, take it off the heat, too, and add the cooked mushrooms. Stir in the ricotta and Parmesan (they will melt in the heat of the farro) until the farro is creamy, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Roast Chicken With Peppers and Olives always feels celebratory; indeed, a roast chicken always is celebratory. The vibrantly colored and intensely flavored vegetables that are cooked alongside here seem only to underline this, offering their own brightness and brio, sunny in taste as well as mood.

Serves 4-6

nigella.com

INGREDIENTS
1 chicken (approximately 3 lb preferably organic)
1 unwaxed lemon (cut in half)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 leeks (washed and trimmed)
2 red bell peppers
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
⅔ cup pitted dry-packed black olives
¼ cup olive oil
kosher salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF. Untruss the chicken, sit it in a roasting tin and put the lemon halves and 2 of the rosemary sprigs into the chicken’s cavity.

Cut each leek into 3 logs, then slice lengthways and add to the tin. Now, remove the core and seeds of the peppers and slice them into strips, following their natural curves and ridges, and add these to the tin. Tumble in the olives, and now pour the olive oil, mostly over the vegetables but a little over the chicken, too. Add the remaining rosemary sprigs to the vegetables, along with some sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper, to taste, and, using a couple of spoons or spatulas, gently toss the vegetables about to help coat them with the oil and make sure everything’s well mixed up.

Sprinkle some sea salt flakes over the chicken and put it in the oven for about 1–1¼ hours, by which time the chicken should be cooked through, and its juices running clear when you cut into the flesh with a small sharp knife at the thickest part of the thigh joint. The vegetables should be tender by now, too, and some of the leeks will be a scorched light-brown in parts.

Remove the chicken to a carving board and, while it rests (for about 10 minutes), pop the pan of veg back in the oven, switching the oven off as you do so.

Cut the chicken up chunkily, transferring the pieces to a large warmed platter. Now take the pan back out of the oven and, with a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the vegetables to the large platter and when all is arranged to your aesthetic delight, pour over it all the bronze, highly flavoured juices that have collected in the pan.

Veggie Loaded Mexican Lasagna includes leeks, spinach, mushrooms, corn, zucchini, poblano. Instead of an Italian sauce, make salsa roja.

Serves 6-8

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
For the Spinach and Mushroom filling:
1 pound baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 leek halved, rinsed, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
14-16 scallions white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped or pressed
8 ounces mushrooms cleaned and sliced
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups requesón or ricotta cheese

For the Zucchini, Poblano and Corn filling:
2 zucchinis (about 1 pound) diagonally and thinly sliced to about 1/8”
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt or to taste, divided
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 large white onions halved, slivered
4 poblano peppers roasted, sweated, cleaned, peeled and cut into julienne or slices
1 ear of corn kernels shaved off (about 1 cup)

For the Salsa Roja (makes about 4 cups):
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 serrano or jalapeño chile more to taste
1 1-inch thick slice of a large white onion (about 2 ounces), peeled
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

To assemble the Lasagna:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter for greasing baking dish
1 pound lasagna noodles
2 cups grated Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) grated Cotija cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano

INSTRUCTIONS
To make the spinach and mushroom filling:
Bring salted water to boil in a medium saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the spinach and cook just for a minute, until it completely wilts. Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible with cheesecloth, a clean kitchen towel, or a wooden spoon. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the leek and scallions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for a minute, until fragrant. Raise the heat to medium high, wait a minute, and add the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle in a teaspoon salt and black pepper, let them brown for a minute or two, and continue to cook until they let out their juices and begin to brown again, 4 to 5 minutes more. Once their juices have almost evaporated, add the chopped spinach, mix well, and continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes, until all the spinach juices evaporate. Turn off the heat, set aside, and let cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs, add the requeson or ricotta cheese, the remaining teaspoon salt, and mix well. Combine with the spinach and mushroom mixture and set aside.

To make the zucchini, poblano and corn filling:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat and season the zucchini slices with about ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Once the oil is hot, working in batches, brown the zucchini slices for a minute or so per side and transfer to a platter covered with paper towels. Set aside when you are done.

Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and the butter. Once the butter has melted, stir in the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, for 7 to 8 minutes, until they have completely wilted and have browned around the edges. Add the poblano pepper strips and 1 teaspoon salt, stir, and continue to cook for another couple minutes. Make room in the middle of the pan, add the corn kernels and cook for a couple minutes, stirring to combine with the rest of the mix. Remove from the heat and taste for salt, adding more if need be. Set aside.

To make the salsa roja:
Place the tomatoes, garlic and chiles in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are cooked and mushy. Place the tomatoes, garlic and chiles into a blender, along with the onion and salt and process until completely smooth.

Heat the oil in medium saucepan set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, pour in the pureed tomato mixture, cover partially with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring here and there. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Pour in the chicken broth, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes, until well seasoned and thickened. Set aside.

To assemble the lasagna:
Generously butter a 9”x13” baking dish. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the lasagna noodles per package instructions, or for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring them as they cook so they won’t stick. Drain and immediately lay them out them on an oiled baking sheet.

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spread about 1/2 cup tomato sauce onto the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Place a layer of cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, draping them so they coat the entire surface. Spread half the spinach and mushroom filling over the noodles.

Place a second layer of cooked lasagna noodles. Top with half of the poblano and corn mixture and half of the zucchini slices. Cover with about a cup of the salsa roja.

Place a third layer of cooked lasagna noodles. Top with the other half of the spinach and mushroom filling.

Place a fourth layer of cooked lasagna noodles. Add the remaining half of the poblano and corn mixture, the rest of the zucchini slices, and about a cup of the salsa roja.

Place fifth layer of cooked lasagna noodles and cover with the remaining cup of tomato sauce. Add the grated Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, and top with the Cotija cheese or parmesano reggiano.

Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil, making sure it is tight all around the edges, but that there is a lot of space over the cheese – like a tent or bubble – so the aluminum is not very close to the cheese on top.

Place baking dish on a baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, then carefully remove the aluminum foil and return to the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes. The top should have melted, browned and begun to crisp along the edges. Remove from the oven and let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it.

So many variations – take your pick.

Double-Crusted Onion Calzone: Scalcione di Cipolla

Recipe copyright Mario Batali, 2002. All rights reserved.
Dough:
1/4 teaspoon dried yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F), plus 1 cup warm water
4 cups flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Filling:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan and drizzling the crust
2 pounds leeks, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon sugar
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1/2 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water to plump
1 teaspoon sugar

Sprinkle the dried yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. When it “blooms”, add remaining water.

In a larger bowl, mix flour with wine, olive oil, water, salt, and pepper. Stir in the yeast water and work it into the dough with your hands. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead until it just loses its stickiness. Set aside, covered with a damp cloth.

Warm 1/4 cup olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook gently 15 minutes, or until soft but not browned. Add the milk and cook 5 additional minutes. Stir in sugar and cook another 5 minutes. The leeks should be very soft. Add the anchovies, black olives, parsley, and tomatoes. Stir to mix well and continue cooking until the sauce is thick and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in raisins.

Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece out to 1/8-inch thickness ad place on the pizza pan. Spread the filling evenly across this piece, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Roll out the other piece of dough and fit it on top of the first, and roll the edges of the two pieces of dough together. Brush the remaining oil over the top crust, sprinkle with sugar, prick in several places with a fork, and set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and bake another 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Medium

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Calzone
Yield: 3 calzone

1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 package Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
3 cups Hodgson Mill 50/50 Flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
no-stick cooking spray
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into strips
3 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
pizza sauce, optional

Combine warm water and sugar with yeast in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Allow
yeast to soften for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, and knead until smooth. Add
oil and salt, and gradually blend in remaining flour to make a firm dough. Turn
out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and satiny.

Spray a large bowl with no-stick cooking spray. Put dough in bowl, turning to
coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap, then a damp towel. Allow to rise in a
warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, until dough is almost doubled.

Spray a large baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.

Knead down dough and divide into 3 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll
each piece into a 9-inch circle. Place 1/3 mozzarella cheese, 1/3 Parmesan
cheese, and 1/3 prosciutto on each circle of dough. Top with chives and garlic.
Moisten edges and fold over to enclose the filling, pressing edges firmly
together.

Place on baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a
warm, draft-free place until dough feels light, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375-degree oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until calzone is
browned. Remove from oven and brush with oil. Sprinkle with grated parmesan
cheese. Serve warm with pizza sauce, if desired.

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Calzones

Recipe courtesy Mario Batali, 2001
Pizza Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 ounces fresh cake yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup cubed prosciutto cotto (ham)

Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add salt and 1 cup of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a loose batter. Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir with the spoon for 2 to 3 minutes to incorporate as much flour as possible.

Bring the dough together by hand and turn out onto a floured board or marble surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until you have made a smooth, firm dough. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes.

Cut the risen dough into 4 equal pieces and knead each portion into a round. Cover again and let rest 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a clean pizza stone in oven to preheat.

Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour. With your fingers and palms, flatten one of the dough rounds into a 10-inch oval about 1/4-inch thick.

In a separate bowl, mix together ricotta, mozzarella, and ham. Spoon 1/4 of mixture just above the center of one oval of dough. Fold the dough to form a half-moon and then press the edges to seal. Fold the edge up with your fingertips and pinch closed to form a ridge all the way around. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Place calzones on pizza stone and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

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Calzones with Cheese, Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper

1 ½ cups warm water (105°F to 115°F.)
1 envelope dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 cups (about) all purpose flour
1 large red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ¼ lbs. red onions, sliced
4 sweet or spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
3 cups (packed) coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces)
12 ounces ricotta cheese
4 teaspoons dried oregano

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil and salt. Add 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until blended. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in oiled large bowl; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and slice pepper. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onions; sauté until brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside. Sauté sausage in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until cooked through, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Mix both cheeses and oregano in bowl, season with salt and pepper.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Dust 2 baking sheets with flour.

Punch dough down. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide into 4 equal portions; shape each into ball. Roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface to 9-inch rounds. Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over half of each round, leaving 3/4-inch border. Cover cheese on each with 1/4 of onions, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, 1/4 of sausage, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, then 1/4 of bell peppers. Fold plain dough halves over filling, forming half circles. Pinch edges of dough firmly together to seal.

Using spatula, transfer 2 calzones to each prepared sheet. Pierce tops in several places with small knife. Bake calzones 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and bake until tops of calzones are golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.

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Stuffed Focaccia with Roasted Eggplant and Oregano

Michael Chiarello

This is more like a calzone or a stuffed pizza than focaccia.

For tomato sauce, get a 14 oz can of Italian diced tomatoes, mince a garlic two and throw tomatoes and garlic in processor and puree.

When roasting eggplant – watch carefully and don’t let burn.

Either make 1 big one [haven’t tried] or make 2 8″ stuffed. The latter is a tricky if only have one peel.

Increase heat to 425.

Maybe rotate pans after 10 minutes of baking (bottom to top, top to bottom) – watch while cooking at higher temp.

2 eggplants
Gray salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. prepared pizza dough
¾ cup tomato sauce
1 bunch small fresh oregano leaves
½ lb. mozzarella, sliced
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Cornmeal, for dusting

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Salt the eggplant and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes; rinse the slices and pat dry. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season with pepper. Place the slices on a baking sheet and roast, not turning, until brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool.

Separate the dough into 4 rounds. Roll them out into 8 to 10-inch circles. Brush 2 of them with olive oil and lay half the eggplant in the middle of each. Top each with half the tomato sauce, some fresh oregano, half the mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Top each with a round of dough and crimp the edges to make a seal (like a pie). Pierce the top crust to allow steam to vent, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.

Position your oven racks to the upper most and lowest positions. Place 2 large baking sheets on the racks and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Carefully remove the sheets and dust them with cornmeal. Transfer the rounds to the baking sheets and brush each with some olive oil. Bake until the crusts are light brown on the bottom, about 20 minutes. When slightly cool, slice like a pie into 8 wedges.

Frittatas are just about one of the easiest, nutrient-dense meals you can make….and they can be whipped up in minutes!

Serves 6

nourishingmeals.com

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon organic butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek, sliced (white part only)
6 to 8 white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 to 3/4 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 to 10 large organic eggs, whisked
1/2 to 1 cup grated organic cheese (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat on your stove. Add the butter or oil to the skillet. Then add the leeks, mushrooms, and asparagus; sauté for a few minutes. Add a few grinds of black pepper and sea salt each.

Be sure to vigorously whisk the eggs just before you add them to the skillet. If adding cheese, stir it into the whisked eggs. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the skillet. Make sure the eggs are covering the vegetables, if not, whisk a few more eggs and pour them into the skillet. Sprinkle with fresh tarragon.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The frittata will puff up as it is baking. It is done when the center is set. You can check this by touching it. If it seems wet then give it a few more minutes. If it bounces back it is done. Keep in mind that eggs will continue to cook a little after they are out of the oven so be sure not to overcook the frittata.

Remove pan from oven, and let cool briefly, then slice and serve. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed glass container in your fridge for up to 5 days and reheated as needed.