Lentil Chili with Yummy Toppings

My mother and I had the pleasure of taking a cheesemaking class with Louella Hill last week at Brown University. It was every cheese lover’s dream come true. I’m not sure what I enjoyed more: pulling warm cheese curd into a variety of oddly shaped fresh mozzarella balls, or the opportunity to talk face to face with Louella Hill—someone whom I’ve admired for years. I‘m guessing that Louella is around my age, but she has accomplished more in her life thus far than I could have even dreamed of for my own. In 2004, as a part of her senior thesis at Brown University, she formed what is now Farm Fresh RI, an organization that connects local Rhode Island farms to consumers around the state. They’re largely responsible for the plethora of great new farmers markets that have popped up throughout the state in recent years. That alone could be considered a lifetime’s worth of achievement, but a few years ago Louella set her mind to cheesemaking. She formed Narragansett Creamery, the first artisanal cheese company in Rhode Island. Narragansett Creamery currently crafts ten different cheeses and yogurt. I’m in love with everything they make, but if you remember from my Roasted Root Vegetable Wheatberry Salad, I’m a fanatic for their fresh ricotta.

The class was a euphoric experience, and I left with a mountain of invaluable cheesemaking knowledge and a bag full of yummy Narragansett Creamery treats. One of those treats was a block of their Atwell’s Gold, an Italian style cheese that I would describe as a mouthwatering cross between asiago and cheddar. I wanted to create a perfect dish to accompany the Atwell’s Gold and came up with this vegetarian lentil chili which is inspired by some of my favorite bean-based chili recipes. This is a perfect dish to serve to a mixed group of both calorie counters and calorie consumers because each person can decide exactly how decadent they want their serving to be, right at the table. For me, a light sprinkle of cheese, one crumbled tortilla chip, a few avocado cubes, and heavy dose of herbs was perfectly satisfying and kept me content with my total calorie intake for the day. James was able to pile on lots of shredded Atwell’s Gold (one of his favorites) and a big handful of crumbled tortilla chips. Save yourself some trouble and prepare the chili the day before you intend to serve it, as letting the chili rest overnight in the refrigerator only makes it yummier.

Thank you Louella for a wonderful cheesemaking experience that I will remember for years to come!

LENTIL CHILI with YUMMY TOPPINGS
makes 6 big servings

2 cups green french lentils
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper puree
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
juice of ½ a lime

toppings:
shredded cheese such as Atwell’s Gold or cheddar
avocado, sliced or cubed
tortilla chips
scallions, chopped
cilantro or parsley, chopped
lime wedges

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, chipotle pepper paste, salt, chili powder, and cumin, and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and sauté until the peppers are tender, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, cooked lentils, cocoa powder, and honey, and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Allow to rest at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Chili is even better reheated the next day.

Ladle into shallow bowls and serve with the toppings tableside.

Spinach Pie Pasta

In nearby Fall River, Massachusetts there’s a great little Lebanese commercial bakery called Sam’s Bakery that supplies many of the local supermarkets and delis with delicious pita bread, savory hand pies, and other Lebanese specialties. Only the locals know that they also have a hidden storefront right at the bakery that’s open to the public five days a week. Their prices are ridiculously cheap, and there’s nothing better than walking in and grabbing one of their still-warm-from-the-oven spinach pies for a quick lunch. Be forewarned: if you do decide to visit Sam’s, expect no frills. Every time I stop in I can’t help but chuckle to myself as I’m reminded of the infamous "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld. The line at Sam’s is almost always outside door, but no one seems to mind because the food is that good. Once you’ve made your way to the front of the line you better know exactly what you want and order it quickly, or otherwise you’re sure to be served a dirty look and sigh of annoyance by the staff. It’s at this point that I can’t help but feel a bit of anxiety, hoping that the lady across the counter doesn’t yell “no spinach pie for you… next!” It hasn’t happened yet, and I guess it is just a small price to pay for their incredible, authentic Lebanese treats.

Easy Tortilla Pizzas

Here are a few of my favorite recipes for fun little tortilla-crust pizzas that couldn’t be quicker or simpler to make. Because of their super thin crusts, they’re not only crisp and delicious, but they have a fraction of the calories of traditional pizzas. The best part is, they come together in a flash. I made all three of these recipes for dinner and cleaned up, all in less than an hour. Quite a feat for me since I tend to be a bit of a snail in the kitchen (I like to “dilly dally” as my Mom would say).

I hope these recipes will inspire you to come up with your own tortilla pizza creations. The one rule when making these pizzas is to not put too many toppings on or you’ll end up with a soggy mess. It’s for this reason that you’ll notice none of my recipes use a sauce. Even a light tomato sauce will keep the tortillas from getting crisp, resulting in disappointing pizzas. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and be sure to send me your own creations.

TOMATO & THYME TORTILLA PIZZAS
2 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
¼ to ½ cup shredded pecorino cheese (not grated)
coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven 500 degrees.

Arrange the tortillas on a baking sheet. Rub each tortilla with the cut side of the garlic. Sprinkle each one with a few tablespoons of cheese (reserve a couple teaspoons for later). Top with a layer of the sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using).

Bake for 5 minutes until the tortillas just begin to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and thyme leaves.

MUSHROOM & PEPPER TORTILLA PIZZAS

2 teapoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 whole wheat flour tortillas
¼ to ½ cup shredded pecorino cheese (not grated)
red pepper flakes (optional)
2 green onions, curled or thinly sliced

Preheat oven 500 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the pan. Saute until the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes

Arrange the tortillas on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each one with a few tablespoons of cheese (reserve a couple teaspoons for later). Top with a layer of the pepper/mushroom mixture avoiding any juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the pan. If using, sprinkle with a small pinch of red flakes.

Bake for 5 minutes until the tortillas just begin to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and green onions.

PEAR & WALNUT TORTILLA PIZZAS

¼ balsamic vinegar
2 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 bosc pear, core removed, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped walnuts
freshly ground black pepper
coarse kosher salt
¼ to ½ cup shredded pecorino cheese (not grated)

Preheat oven 500 degrees.

In a glass measuring cup, microwave the balsamic vinegar for 1-1/2 minutes. Continue to heat and stir every 30 seconds until the vinegar has reduced to just over a tablespoon. 2-1/2 minutes is the perfect amount of time for my microwave, but microwaves vary. Too long and the vinegar will burn and you’ll have to start all over. The finished product should be a syrup that will thicken as it cools. Set aside.

Arrange the tortillas on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each one with a few tablespoons of cheese (reserve a couple teaspoons for later). Top with a layer of the sliced pears. Scatter walnuts over the pears and sprinkle with pepper and a bit of salt.

Bake for 5 minutes until the tortillas just begin to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup right before serving.

how to: Curly Green Onions

I live just minutes away from Providence, Rhode Island, home of the famous Alforno Restaurant. Legend has it that Alforno invented grilled pizza. I can’t say for sure if that’s true, but I do know that their grilled pizzas are absolutely incredible, and are hands down the best I have ever tried. The rest of their menu is outstanding too, but when James and I are in the mood for their pizza (which is more often than we can afford), we head straight for one of their two bars and indulge on a dinner of succulent grilled pizzas accompanied by nothing but a pair of gin martinis.

The finishing touch to almost every grilled pizza I have ever ordered at Alforno is these beautiful green onion curls that not only add a festive flare to their pizzas, but also provide a layer of fresh, subtle oniony flavor. Although my pizzas cannot compare to the magic of Alforno’s, I often top mine with these precious little curls to add a bit of zip and fanfare. The trouble is, they can be terribly tedious to make. I once recruited my [angelic] Mother to make green onion curls for a grilled pizza party I was throwing for some coworkers. After taking her over an hour to make them all, I decided that there had to be a better way. My prayers where answered when I came a across a green bean slicer at a gourmet specialty store. Now I make green bean curls lightening fast and with ease. Here’s how:

CURLY GREEN ONIONS

Trim the root end off of a young green onion (scallion). Using a green bean slicer, cut the green onion lengthwise into very thin strips. If some of the sections are a bit thick, rip them into thinner strips with your fingers. Submerge the onion strips into a bowl of lots of ice and water and allow them to soak for an hour in the refrigerator. Drain the onions and pat dry. The onions can be stored for at least one day in an airtight container in the refrigerator.