Mexican Street Corn and Brussels Sprouts

Kernels from 3 ears of corn

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Crema:
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt

Optional toppings:
1-2 avocados, diced
1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges

Heat the oven to 400 F. Toss the corn, Brussels sprouts, and onion with the olive oil, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy. Stir halfway through for even roasting.

Whisk together the crema ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning as needed. 

Drizzle the crema generously over the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with toppings as desired.

Serves 2-4.

From RecipeYumm blog with a few changes

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small roasted garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional

Process all ingredients until emulsified. Alternatively, mince the garlic clove and shake all ingredients in a jar until combined.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Serves 6 to 8.

From Love and Lemons blog, with minor changes

Crispy Rice Salad with Cucumbers and Herbs

The Very Excellent Dressing:
A 1/2-inch knob of fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral oil
1/4 cup lime juice (from 3-4 small limes)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili crisp
 
Crispy Rice Salad:
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons red curry paste
2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
Half an English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 shallot, thinly sliced or minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 bunch mint, roughly chopped or torn (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Chili crisp to taste
 
For the dressing:
Blitz everything in a blender or food processor.
 
For the crispy rice:
Toss the rice in a bowl with the oil and curry paste. If it’s not sticking together when you squeeze it, add the cornstarch and get your hands wet to mix it again. Squeeze it into loose, squishy chunks and transfer to the air fryer in a single layer. Air fry at 400 F for 7-9 minutes, until golden and crisped.
 
Break the crispy rice apart into little chunks. Toss with about half of the dressing and however many veggies you want. Garnish with some peanuts and chili crisp.
 
Serves 2.
 
From Pinch of Yum blog

Steak au Poivre

Two 6- to 8-ounce filet mignons
1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup Cognac or other brandy
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
 
Pat the steaks dry and, if they are thick, gently press them down so that they are about 1 ½ inches thick. Season the steaks all over with the salt.
 
Seal the peppercorns inside a small plastic bag and place on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan, pound the peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed. Press the crushed pepper evenly onto both sides of the steaks.
 
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the steaks and cook about 3-4 minutes on each side, turning only once, for medium-rare (or about 4-5 minutes per side for medium). Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil.
 
Pour off the excess fat from the pan but do not wipe clean. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping up the brown bits, until the shallots are golden brown and softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add the Cognac (it may ignite) and boil, again stirring to scrape up the brown bits, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze and mostly absorbed by the shallots, a few minutes. Add the cream and mustard and gently boil until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in any meat juices that accumulated on the plate. Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon the sauce over top.
 
Serves 2.
 
From Once Upon a Chef blog

Onion Tart with Mustard and Cumin

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115°F)
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 pounds yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or a bit more
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
 
Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.)
 
Put 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl, then make a well in center of flour and add yeast mixture to well. Stir together egg, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt with a fork. Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or your fingertips, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead, working in additional flour (up to 1/4 cup) as necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
 
While dough rises, heat remaining 1/3 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté cumin seeds until a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Stir in onions, remaining teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover onions directly with a round of parchment paper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very tender and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
 
Heat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
 
Knead dough gently on a floured surface with floured hands to deflate. Pat out dough on a large heavy baking sheet into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle, turning up or crimping edges, then brush mustard evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Spread onions evenly over mustard, then sprinkle evenly with cheese.
 
Bake tart until crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into 2-inch squares or diamonds and serve warm or at room temperature.
 
From Smitten Kitchen blog, with minor changes. Adapted from Gourmet, March 2008

Cauliflower, Brussel Sprout, and Coconut Dal

1 small cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
200 grams Brussels sprouts or red cabbage, sliced
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
Small handful of curry leaves
300 grams split red lentils
5 cups vegetable stock
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons coconut flakes, toasted
Cilantro leaves and chopped chilies, to serve (optional)
 
Heat the oven to 350 F. Toss the cauliflower, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and some salt and black pepper in a roasting pan. Roast for 25-30 minutes, then set aside.
 
Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and cabbage. Fry gently over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, spices, and curry leaves, and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the lentils and most of the cauliflower. Add the stock, bring to the boil, lower to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 40 minutes. Add the lime juice and season to taste. Ladle into bowls, top with the remaining cauliflower, toasted coconut, and cilantro and chili, if using.

Serves 4. 

From BBC Good Food, with minor changes

Chocolate Pastry Cream

Optional for more stable pastry cream:

2 teaspoons powdered gelatin

2 tablespoons water

2 1/4 cups (540 grams) whole milk
1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar (or can use white sugar)
2 egg yolks from large eggs
2 large eggs (or substitute 2 egg yolks for slightly thicker version)
2 1/2 tablespoons (25 grams) cornstarch 
2 tablespoons (18 grams) dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
170 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter, softened

If using gelatin: Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Mix gently and allow the gelatin to bloom.

Put the milk in a saucepan. Heat over medium high heat until steaming. It's not necessary to boil the milk but it's okay if it does boil gently.

While the milk is heating, place the sugar, eggs, cornstarch, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Whisk until you have a thick, smooth mixture. Place the bowl on a towel to keep it from slipping in the following step, then set it aside until the milk is ready.

As soon as the milk starts to boil, remove it from the heat. Slowly pour about one half of the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, while whisking constantly, to temper the egg mixture. Then add the egg-milk mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan.

Heat the custard over medium heat while whisking vigorously until the pastry cream comes to a boil. The pastry cream is boiling when you see bubbles at the surface. Once the first bubbles break the surface, keep whisking the pastry cream for about 1-1 1/2 minutes while whisking constantly. This ensures that the cornstarch cooks and thickens the custard properly. Remove from heat. Immediately add the chocolate, butter, and bloomed gelatin if using. Whisk the mixture well, until the chocolate, butter, and gelatin dissolve and mix in well. If needed, keep the pan on the stove with the heat off so the residual heat continues the melt and mix the custard together.

Strain the custard, if desired to remove any lumps, directly into a container where the pastry cream will be stored. Immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the whole surface to prevent a skin from forming.

The custard can be used when it has cooled to room temperature, or let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. It will set when cooled, so may need to be whisked smooth before use.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Makes 3 1/2 cups.

From The Flavor Bender blog, with minor changes to instructions