Grilled Shrimp with Mint and Basil

It’s a lazy Monday, one of my last days off for a while. In anticipation of yet another rainy evening, I decided to put together a simple dinner while the sun is still out. Even better, I’m making use of some of our most abundant backyard herbs.

Grilled Shrimp with Mint and Basil

Serves 6

 Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, minced

10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1 pound rice noodles, cooked as per package instructions

1. Coat shrimp in 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on skewers and grill over moderately high heat just until cooked through (about 5 minutes on each side).
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, remaining sesame oil, vegetable oil, garlic, mint, and basil.
3. Remove shrimp from the grill and toss immediately with the dressing. Pour the shrimp and dressing over the rice noodles. Serve warm or cold.

 

Braised Tempeh with Mushrooms

 

 The weather is playing tricks on me. After another cool and rainy day, I’m just about ready to trade in my hot oven for warm summer evenings spent by the grill. Until that’s possible, I’ll settle for late spring warmers like this wonderful braised tempeh dish, adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. It’s comforting and filling, yet surprisingly light and goes especially well over steamed quinoa.

Braised Tempeh with Mushrooms
Serves 4-6

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 (8-ounce) packages tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
2 cups well-flavored chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
Fresh thyme leaves to garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over moderately high heat. Add tempeh and cook, stirring occasionally until well-browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the ginger and cook for a few more minutes.
3. Add the stock, soy sauce, vinegar and honey and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, uncovered, until the mushrooms are tender and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 20 more minutes.
5. Serve warm over rice or quinoa garnished with fresh thyme leaves

 

Saturdays at Integral: Green Lentils with Onions and Dill

For the last two years I have spent almost every Saturday morning in the kitchen at Integral Yoga Institute NYC. Here, I prepare family meals for the Institute’s staff with the help of some volunteers. I love this job for so many reasons, but mostly because of the unique and intimate experience of cooking a wholesome, vegan meal in the company of like minded cooks, for people who truly appreciate it.  I have made some great friends at Integral. When I fisrt started, I was a volunteer myself and worked under a Lebanese woman named Layla. Layla’s cooking was amazing; flavorful and rich yet surprisingly simple, and even though she no longer cooks at Integral many of her recipes remain.

The first dish that she taught me was Green Lentils with Onions and Dill. This dish uses only four ingredients, but has the depth and richness of Thanksgiving dinner. Try it and you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Green Lentils with Onions and Dill

Serves 4-6

 

2 cups green lentils, picked through and rinsed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

5 large onions, thinly sliced

1 large bunch dill, minced

 

1.      In a large pot bring the lentils and 6 cups of water to a boil. Cook, partially covered, until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes, adding additional boiling water if needed. Drain lentils, transfer to a large serving bowl and set aside.

2.      While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions, stirring frequently, until they are well caramelized. This may take any where from 15 to 45 minutes. Be patient and don’t be tempted to blast the heat or your onions will burn.

3.      When the onions are done, pour them over the lentils along with the minced dill and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, being careful not to mash the lentils. Drizzle additional olive oil if needed. Serve immediately.