Recipes from Matt Palamara’s Valentine’s Themed FoodRX Class

Greek fava with tzatziki and roasted peppers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 сup yellow split peas (fava), rinsed and drained
• 4 сup vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, cut in half
• 1 carrot sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest and juice freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
• 3 peppers, roasted
• Tzatziki (recipe follows)
• Flatbread (recipe follows)

METHOD

• Place the split peas, carrot, the onion and enough veggie stock to cover everything by a couple of inches in a saucepan.
• Bring the water up to the boil skimming away any scum or froth.
• Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time and, if necessary, adding a little water to keep the peas just covered.
• Add the salt and continue to simmer until the beans are very tender and almost dry.
• Allow the split peas to cool for a few minutes before you puree them with a hand blender or in a food processor.
• Add the EVOO, lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and more salt, if required.
• Spoon into a bowl and allow to cool completely, letting the flavors get to know each other.
• Serve with capers, roasted peppers, tzatziki, and flatbread.

TSATZIKI SAUCE

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 European cucumbers, seeded and grated, drained
• 2-4 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ lemon, juice and zest
• 2 tsp dill, chopped
• 1 tsp mint, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mix well

FLAT BREAD

• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
•  tsp pute maple syrup or agave
• ¾ cup cold water
• canola oil for cooking

METHOD

• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well blended.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and then add olive oil, syrup, and the water.
• Switch to a rubber spatula or spoon and stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. If the dough seems dry, add more water. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured work surface and knead 5 to 10 times until smooth. Let rest 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 6-8 equal pieces. Dust each piece in flour and roll into a disc that’s between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick.
• Add one to two tablespoons of oil to a skillet placed over medium heat. When the oil looks shimmery, add a flatbread (or more if they fit), and cook until golden brown on one side, flip and cook until golden brown on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
  Transfer cooked flatbread to a plate, cover with a clean dish towel to keep warm, and then continue with the remaining flatbreads. Add oil as needed.

Fennel and orange salad with olives, potatoes, dill, and pistachios

INGREDIENTS

• 1 fennel bulb, white parts shaved thinly on mandolin
• 2 orange, zested and segmented save juices
• 8 fingerling potato, cut into coins
• ½ cup pistachios
• 1 cup mixed olives, halved
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp fennel seeds, toasted
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• Tbsp white balsamic vinegar

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss olives and potatoes with a little olive oil, place on half sheet pan, and roast until sizzling (10 ish minutes)
• Make vinaigrette with parsley, garlic, vinegar, orange juice, oil and fennel seeds
• Toss everything together and serve.

Creamy chickpea and pesto pasta with zucchini and spinach

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• pinch of chile flakes
• 1 cup veggie stock (if needed)
• 2 cans of chickpeas
• ¼ cup cashews, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 zucchini, sliced thin
• 2 cup spinach
• 2 Tbsp pesto (recipe follows)
• Pasta
• 1 lemon, zest and juice as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

• Place olive in a small sauce pan with garlic and chile flakes and let heat over médium heat until lightly brown.
• Add in 2 cups of chickpeas, the chashews, and about 2 cups of chickpea liquid and bring to a simmer. Let simmer about 2-3 minutes.
• Puree this mixture until creamy looking. Use veggie stock as needed to help with consistency.
  Set aside for future use.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, hold warm.
• Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan. When warm, add zucchini and lightly saute.
• Add spinach to the zucchini pan, stir in the chickpea cream, add remaining chick peas, the pasta, pesto, lemon zest and juice, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

• ¼ cup basil
• 1 parsley bunch
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp pine nuts
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 oz parmesan
• ¼ cup olive oil

METHOD

• Puree first 6 ingredients in food processor.
• Drizzle in the olive oil at the end as needed to form a homogenous paste.

Balsamic braised Chicken and onions with roasted parsnips and radish

INGREDIENTS

• 20 oz pearl onions
• 3 Тbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 5lbs skin-on bone-in chicken pieces, or 3 lbs boneless
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 2 ea bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp each of parsley, green onion, and tarragon, minced

METHOD

• Cook onions in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 5-8 minutes. Drain and shock in ice water. Trim root ends; peel.
• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer onions and garlic to bowl.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add chicken to pot skin side down and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 10-15 minutes per batch; transfer to bowl with onions.
• Carefully drain fat from pot and return to medium-high heat. Add vinegar to pot and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, raisins, bay leaves, and reserved chicken, onions, and garlic to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is fork-tender, 35-40 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and onions to a large platter. Remove bay leaves, and season sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in herbs. Spoon sauce over chicken and onions.

ROASTED PARSNIPS AND RADISH

• Roasted Parsnips and Radish
• 6 parsnips, cut into half moonS
• 12 radish, quartered
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 garlic clove
• pinch chile flakes
• 2 Tbsp parsley
• 1 Tbsp dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

• Whisk together honey, oil, garlic, chile flake, and a little salt and pepper.
• Toss with parsnips and radishes.
• Plan in oven and cook until browned and glazy looking.
• Remove from oven, toss with herbs and season as needed.

Chocolate, avocado, black bean brownie with banana ice cream

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can black beans
• ½ ea avocado
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 Тsp cocoa powder
• ½ cup walnuts
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (plus more for greasing)
• Large pinch of salt
• 5.5 oz dark chocolate

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 12-slot muffin tray with coconut oil (or a 8×8 pan).
• Drain and rinse beans, then add beans, avocado, sugar, cocoa powder, half the walnuts (1/4 c), baking powder, vanilla extract, coconut oil and the salt to a food processor.
• Melt 4.5 oz of the dark chocolate in a double boiler, then transfer to the food processor.
• Combine ingredients in the food processor for 1-2 minutes.
  Evenly distribute the mixture into the muffin tray (roughly one heaped tablespoon per slot).
• Cut remaining chocolate into pieces and place on top of each brownie, pushing down gently on each piece of chocolate so they become partly submerged in the mixture.
• Finely chop the remaining walnuts and sprinkle over brownies.
• Place muffin tray in oven for 20-25 minutes.
  Leave to cool completely before gently removing each brownie. The longer you leave them to cool, the easier they will be to remove them from the tin. Gently loosen the brownies out of the tin with the thin end of a fork.
• Top with a scoop of banana ice cream and enjoy!

BANANA ICE CREAM (PER PERSON)

• 5 oz bananas, sliced into rounds and frozen
• ¼ cup coconut milk

METHOD

• Pulse in food processor until smooth.
• Can add in peanuts, peanut butter, chocolate, or anything else you might like if you want to adjust the flavor!