Weekly Recipes #54 - Jill

Mexican Lasagna

10 6” corn tortillas

2 cups canned low-sodium black beans, rinsed

4 cups tomato sauce

1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1 bag (10 oz) baby spinach leaves

2 cups diced grilled chicken

2 T chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place two to three corn torillas on the bottom, trimming as necessary for a good fit. Add beans, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ½ cup grated cheese. Top with two to three more corn tortillas. Add 1 cup tomato sauce, spinach, and ½ cup cheese. Top with two more corn tortillas. Add chicken and 1 cup tomato sauce. Top with two more corn tortillas. Add 1 cup tomato sauce, ½ cup cheese, and cilantro. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned and chicken is reheated.

Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Summer Rolls

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Summer-Rolls-242327?mbid=ipapp

1 oz cellophane noodles
1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushroom caps
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 each red and green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips

9 sheets (8 inches each) rice paper (found in grocery stores' Asian section)
1 cup drained canned mung bean sprouts

Boil noodles in salted water for 3 minutes; drain; set aside. Combine turkey, egg whites, scallions, mushrooms, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and black pepper in a bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook turkey mixture, stirring, until dry and crumbly, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Push meat to one side; place pepper strips in pan. Fill a bowl with warm water. Soak 1 piece rice paper until pliable, but not entirely soft, 10 to 15 seconds. Lay flat on a cutting board. Place 2 bell pepper strips across wrapper 2 inches from bottom. On top of strips, layer 1/2 cup turkey mixture, 1/8 of mung beans, 1/8 of noodles and 1/8 of pepper strips to form a log-shaped pile. Fold bottom edge of wrapper up and sides in against filling. Roll up to top edge. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut in half on bias.

Grilled Grass-Fed Rib-Eye Steaks with Balsamic-Caper Vinaigrette

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Grass-Fed-Rib-Eye-Steaks-with-Balsamic-Caper-Vinaigrette-352592?mbid=ipapp

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for steaks and grill
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 3/4-inch-thick grass-fed rib-eye steaks
3 garlic cloves, pressed
4 teaspoons smoked paprika*
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Simmer vinegar in small pan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Add shallots, 1/4 cup oil, and crushed red pepper; return to simmer. Remove from heat; whisk in parsley, capers, and thyme. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Rub both sides of steaks with oil and garlic. Mix paprika, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of steaks. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack with oil to coat. Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Spoon vinaigrette over.

Fresh Corn Soup Topped with Roasted Corn Guacamole
Roasted Corn Guacamole

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fresh-Corn-Soup-Topped-with-Roasted-Corn-Guacamole-352975?mbid=ipapp

Guacamole
Kernels from 3 ears fresh corn, or 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped
1 avocado, pitted and chopped

Soup
Kernels from 5 ears fresh corn, or 3 cups frozen corn, defrosted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Cilantro sprigs, to garnish

Roast the Corn for the Guacamole Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Put the corn kernels on the baking sheet and toss with the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Spread the corn out evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until the corn turns a golden brown. It may seem that you have left the corn in the oven for too long, but you want the corn to caramelize and get a little crunchy. Remove the corn from the oven and set aside.

Prepare the Corn for the Soup Put the kernels (fresh or frozen and defrosted) in a blender.
Combine the oil and the garlic in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the blender and puree until smooth. (You may need to pulse or stir the corn mixture in order to achieve a smooth consistency, but do not add any more liquid.)

Simmer the Soup Pour the corn puree into the soup pot and place over medium heat. Stir constantly for a few minutes, until the soup begins to thicken. Slowly whisk or stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Finish the Roasted Corn Guacamole In a bowl, combine the roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and jalapeño. Gently stir in the avocado. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve and Garnish Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Place a generous spoonful of the guacamole in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro placed in the center of each.