Chickpea Salad

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fresh Herbs
courtesy of Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated (or pressed)
1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and garlic in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

(Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.)

NOTES

This is one of those dishes that my friend Amy calls a "duh recipe," as in, duh, why did I never think to put these things together? So true. I think of myself as a damn fine cook now, but my creativity level is still fairly low, which leads to a lot of forehead smacking when I see stuff like this. It's okay. I'm workin' on it.

A breeze to put together and easily doubled, tripled, etc., this bright, fresh salad is great as a side for outdoor picnics/barbecues or as a simple lunch for two (or *ahem* one really hungry person).

White Bean Dip

White Bean Dip
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place all of the ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped (I pulse to beyond that stage). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl and serve with pita chips and fresh cut vegetables.

NOTES

Simply one of the easiest, tastiest, most repeatable appetizers/snacks/light lunches I've ever put together. Everything balances out beautifully and the bit of "bite" from the garlic is just perfect. Trust me, it's a crowd pleaser, too: I made it on Saturday for my birthday party and it was a huge, huge hit.

Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir Fry

Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir Fry
adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds ground pork (preferably coarsely ground)
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 pound thin asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces - tips reserved in a separate small bowl
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chile garlic sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
4 scallions, sliced

Method

Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Shaoxing and cornstarch in medium bowl. Add pork and mix lightly to blend.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy large wok (or deep skillet) over high heat. Add asparagus (without tips), chile sauce, ginger and garlic. Toss until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus mixture to plate and set aside.

Add remaining tablespoon sesame oil to wok. Add pork mixture and stir-fry until browned, using spoon to break up pork into small pieces, about 4 minutes. Return asparagus mixture to wok, along with the asparagus tips, remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, oyster sauce, and honey. Stir-fry until pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add scallions; toss to incorporate.

Serve over Jasmine rice, with more chile garlic sauce on the side.

NOTES

I knew when I saw Sarah post this that it would make an appearance on my blog. This is right up my alley - moderately spicy, slightly sweet, with the beautiful combination of sesame oil, ginger and scallions to bring it all together. And you know what? It was twice as good as I thought it would be. Spectacular, even. I need to hurry up and make it again while asparagus is still in season.

One note about the pork: I ground my own for the first time and, as with the chicken for my Gai Pad Grapow, I may never buy prepackaged again. The fresh stuff simply cooks far better in the high heat of the wok than the pre-ground clump. You can get a great coarse grind doing it yourself and, if you have a food processor, it's very little effort. Just cut fresh pork shoulder into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes, place them on a plate (or plates) in a single layer, freeze for 10-15 minutes (until stiff), then pulse in 1 pound batches in your food processor until coarsely ground. Easy easy and so much better in texture and flavor.