This chicken soup recipe clocks in at 36 grams of protein per bowl so it can be served for dinner or as a light appetizer with a side of kale salad. It’s balanced, healthy and basic yet totally satisfying. As you can see, I’ve finished mine with fresh lime and chiles, but I encourage you to make it your own and have loads of ideas for you to try.

Soup is something I like to rotate between meals just to break things up. My family really enjoys soup, and it’s just another way to serve chicken that keeps it interesting to eat.

About This Chicken Broth

I practically never buy soup and it’s really because homemade chicken broth is superior in flavor. It’s just so simple to make from scratch and I’m constantly playing around with whatever I happen to have on hand.

• Ginger. Fresh, anti-inflammatory, adds a spicy factor.
• Garlic and onions. Just the right amount of potency, anti-viral, anti-bacterial.
• Salty broth. Think great for hydrating post workout or when you have the flu.
• Generous amounts of lime juice and a pinch of zest.
• A pile of cilantro – or go with fresh mint, Thai basil, kaffir lime, parsley, or rosemary.
• Coconut milk for richness (think Tom Kha vibes). Absolutely feel free to swap in half and half if you prefer.

What never ceases to amaze me about this soup is how people react. People assume this is an involved recipe because it tastes so complex, but it’s actually really simple to make.

💭Top Tip

When using delicate herbs or greens, add them at the very end so the color and flavors really pop.

White Chicken Chili Variation

Consider fanning some avocado and minced red onion on top if you’d like a white chicken chili option. Have powdered ginger and garlic? Try swapping those if that’s what you’ve got. You can even add corn (fresh or frozen) and a handful of cheese, canned beans, etc.

Preparation

Make the entire recipe start to finish or prep and freeze for later.

🔪 Instructions

Cook the chicken until they reach 165°F then set aside.

Dice the vegetables (medium chop). Use a microplane to grate the peeled ginger. This is where you can double the garlic if you prefer to swap out the ginger.

Sauté or sweat the vegetables until tender. Don’t skip this step because it forms the base layer of your homemade broth.

Add 2 cups of water and shredded chicken to the pot. Let that come to a simmer.

Finish the soup with coconut milk (for dairy free–half and half works, too), lime juice and zest, and a big pinch of fresh herb magic on top.

Taste the soup and if it needs it, add more salt.

Freezer Options

This soup can be frozen for up to 1 month and I have two options for you.

The Cook-Later Option: See the recipe card notes for instructions on how to prep, freeze, then cook the soup.

The Reheat-It Option: If you would like to cook the soup first, then freeze, you will follow the recipe as written but omit the garnish. Allow soup to cool 20 minutes then portion and transfer to freezer bags or glass containers. Simply microwave to reheat. Garnish and serve.

Scaling

If scaling up or down, keep all ratios the same except the salt; add 1 teaspoon sea salt and then add more to taste. When scaling, bare in mind you will need a vessel that can hold roughly 4 cups for the original recipe (so 8 cups if doubling, 12 cups if tripling).

Leftovers

Leftovers? But how? You mean you didn’t stand dunking your spoon into the leftovers in the pot? Just me then, okay. You can store any soup leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 days. The garnish should be stored separately and added after you’ve rewarmed it.

Nutrition, big flavor, and healing whole food ingredients make this a cold-weather (and head-cold) essential. Garlic, ginger, and lime juice? This trio can make it all better.

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Creamy Chicken Soup

Creamy homemade chicken and vegetable broth with shredded chicken and finished with citrus and cilantro. Chiles or spices may be added if you like.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cream soup

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 52 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 484kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil lard, tallow, avocado oil, or butter work, too
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
• 1 14- ounce can full-fat coconut milk or substitute half-and-half
• 4 limes remove zest from 1 lime and then extract juice (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs cilantro, mint, thai basil for garnish (chiffonade)

Instructions

Cook the chicken.

• Slow Cooker Method: Season chicken thighs with salt and place in slow cooker with the oil. Set to “Bake” mode for 400F for 45 minutes.

  Oven Method: Use an oven-safe pan or Dutch oven at 400F, spread oil and place seasoned chicken thighs in pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until an internal temperature registers 165℉.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Chop the vegetables (onion, celery, and garlic) and transfer them to a large prep bowl as you work to give yourself plenty of room on the cutting board. If you own a microplane, mince the ginger directly over the bowl to capture as much ginger juice as possible (as opposed to just chopping it).
• Sweat vegetables and make broth. Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so you don't burn your hands and so the chicken can reabsorb surface juices. Combine the vegetables (onion, celery, garlic, and ginger) to the hot slow cooker or Dutch oven. Sauté on high heat for 7 minutes. Stir then add 2 cups of water. Return the shredded chicken (discarding the bones) to the pot.
• Finish the soup. Bring to a simmer then add coconut milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Allow the soup to warm then serve along with salt to taste. Top with fresh cilantro, mint, or Thai basil for Asian flavors or try adding avocado or red onion for Southwest.

Notes

Freezer Instructions:

FREEZE TOGETHER:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (additive free)
• 4 limes (zest of 1 lime plus 1/4 juice)

INSTANT POT: From frozen, add 2 cups water then high pressure for 13 minutes + 10 minutes natural release.

SLOW COOKER: Thaw first, and then cook 6 hours on high.

FINAL STEP: Shred the meat and serve with cassava pasta, baked sweet potato, cauliflower or broccoli rice, zucchini noodles, etc.

If you regularly make batches of smoked chicken thighs, you can simply shred that for a smoky version of this soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 526IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 6mg

As always, if you try a variation to this recipe that you like, you can leave it in the comments so you have a record for when you come back to make it again.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars are basically candy bars for adults who read ingredient labels and are health conscious. Loaded with peanut butter and protein powder, these stout guys pack 28 grams of protein so are the quintessential post-workout meal replacement or nutritious snack.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate = Pure Indulgence

I don’t know about you, but if I’m raiding my kids’ Halloween stash, I’m looking for a Reese’s peanut butter cup. It’s funny how sweet they taste to me now as an adult. Too sweet if I’m honest. So, here we have an adult version of that classic peanut butter and chocolate combo that’s less cloyingly sweet and more chocolate+peanut chemistry.

As with anything homemade, you get to decide what ratio of peanut butter filling to chocolate you are craving. You could do half and half as I do in these cut-out squares or you could shape them into bars and dip them in chocolate if you’re looking for just a thin layer of the chocolate. It’s fun to experiment with this recipe.

Ingredients You Need to Make Peanut Butter Protein Bars

In this recipe, you have a peanut butter protein paste that’s really thick and will remind you of playing with clay and a stovetop melted chocolate portion that gets poured (or used for dipping). No oven baking required. You just need a pan, parchment paper, a pot, and a mixing bowl.

• Coconut flour: coconut flour is desiccated coconut (think fiber) with a fine, flourlike texture that’s available in the baking aisle next to gluten-free flours.
• Protein powder: Use any type of protein powder that you like. Double check that there’s no gluten or dairy if you follow a gluten and dairy-free diet. For an allergy-friendly option, I like Hydrolyzed beef protein AI Paleo by Rootcology or Equip Prime Protein which is unflavored and unsweetened. Note: If your protein powder is sweetened, you will want to decrease the amount of maple syrup a bit.
• Peanut butter: Use plain, creamy peanut butter; if your peanut butter is already sweet, you may need to decrease the maple syrup in this recipe to taste. You may substitute with any nut butter. Cashew or sunflower butter would be great.
• Maple syrup: grade A or grade B work equally well in this recipe or try coconut palm syrup, honey, date syrup, or brown rice syrup.
• Palm shortening: I found a big tub of Palm shortening and enjoyed how easy it was to scoop and measure. Note, you can use refined or unrefined coconut oil 1:1 as a substitute.
• Coconut butter (not oil): Coconut butter or whole coconut puree provides some necessary fat (fat=flavor) and is reminiscent of cacao butter in that it’s solid at room temperature. Feel free to substitute cacao butter, if you like.
• Coconut sugar or maple sugar provide sweetness but coconut sugar is unrefined and won’t completely dissolve; if you want your carob coating smooth, go with maple sugar or evaporated cane sugar.
• Cocoa or carob powder: regular cocoa powder or carob powder is the base for the chocolate coating
• Vanilla extract: just be sure to read the label to ensure you are buying pure vanilla extract not imitation vanilla
• Optional: either sea salt in the chocolate or flake salt for garnish

Steps for Making Peanut Butter Protein Bars

See recipe card (below) for all the details.

Whisk the protein powder with the coconut flour.

Melt the peanut butter with the maple syrup then combine with the protein mixture to form a claylike paste.

Press the protein paste into the parchment lined dish and set aside. Make the chocolate mixture on the stovetop.

As you can see, the chocolate mixture starts out with melted palm oil (coconut oil works, too). Pour the chocolate mixture over the protein paste and chill until set (or shape the protein paste and dip).

More Sweet Snacks to Try

• Disappearing Apricot Coconut Bites
• Lime Cheesecake Bites with Toasted Coconut
• Valentine Tuile Cannoli
• Bodybuilding Dessert: Peanut Butter Tofu Pudding
• Candied Orange Slices Dipped in Chocolate

Get all my appetizers and snacks (sweet and savory) here!

Last but not least, you can add a flourish of fancy flake salt. While your bars are chilling, this peanut butter tofu pudding is fun to gawk at–it’s from my Dad’s bodybuilding competition days.

This recipe is adapted from my own recipe for Tigernut Butter Protein Bars. What’s great about this recipe is that you can swap the nut butter for anything you are not allergic to so feel free to try cashew butter or sunflower butter.

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No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Creamy peanut butter and chocolate protein bars that taste like candy yet are low carb, fiber and protein rich, and contain low-glycemic (unrefined) sweeteners. These will soon become your favorite meal prep snack.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate, peanut butter, snacks

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Chill Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10 bars

Calories 762kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Protein Bar Ingredients:

• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 ½ cups protein powder I like Hydrolyzed beef protein AI Paleo by Rootcology
• 2 cups peanut butter creamy/smooth
• ½ cup maple syrup

Carob Coating Ingredient:

• 1 cup palm shortening coconut oil works, too
• 1 cup coconut butter not oil or cacao bar
• ¼ cup evaporated cane sugar /maple sugar/coconut sugar
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder or carob powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt leave out if adding flake salt for garnish

Instructions

• Get ready. Use silicone bar mold or line a glass Tupperware or baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. For thicker bars, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. For thinner bars or bark, use any size bigger.
• Whisk the protein powder with the coconut flour. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the coconut flour and protein powder.
• Melt the peanut butter with the maple syrup. In a small pot over low heat, melt the peanut butter with the maple syrup until you can stir until smooth.
• Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Use a spatula to combine the dry and wet mixtures to form a very thick, sticky, smooth paste.

  *Troubleshooting: If the mixture seems dry and crumbly (it should be moist, sticky, and very thick) then you need to add more liquids, try 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or coconut oil) until you reach the desired texture. IF you mixture is too wet, consider adding more protein powder.
• Press protein paste into prepared container. Transfer the protein bar paste into the prepared pan and press firmly in place. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
• After the bars are firm, it's time to make the chocolate mixture. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the palm shortening and coconut butter.
• Add the sugar (coconut sugar/maple sugar/cane sugar) and stir frequently to distribute evenly (remember, coconut sugar will not completely dissolve). To avoid scorching, remove promptly from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt.
• Working rather quickly, make the bars! You should get 8 large bars or 10 to 12 smaller ones.
• Easy Way: Drizzle the chocolate coating over the top of the protein and refrigerate. Once set, use a knife to shape into squares or bars.
• Hard Way: Cut into bars first and dip the protein bar into the chocolate mixture to cover.
• Refrigerate to allow the shell to harden. Serve when chocolate coating is firm and set.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 762kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg

Picture perfect roasted Brussels sprouts packed with flavor. That’s these miso citrus glazed Brussels sprouts. Seasonal sides need not be predictable or dry. This is how you get everyone to eat their vegetables.

We eat a healthy serving of vegetables every night for dinner. These roasted Brussels sprouts will be a forever favorite–and for good reason.

My not-so-favorite part of a vegetable side? When it’s served dry and just lifeless. I simply can’t abide a sauceless vegetable. Not no way. Not no how.

As the resident saucier of the house, I set out to deliver a new and lighter (yet saucier) Brussel sprouts dish (this time no cheese). Going for something fresher in flavor, memorable, interesting.

And the perfect backdrop for our sauce? Little crisp, dry pockets of perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts.

Tip #1: Roast Brussels Sprouts at 400F, Tossing Every 5 Minutes

Steaming has ruined so many people on Brussels sprouts. If you want just crispy and caramelized-not-mushy sprouts?

1. Spread them out: crowding = steaming = gross
2. season with salt and pepper: and I mean generously
3. lightly toss with avocado oil: your go-to high heat oil
4. stir them every 5-minutes until they look really caramelized, are tender, have crisp edges, but not mushy: this is how you guarantee success regardless of the size of your Brussels sprouts

Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Vegan POW Sauce

To sum, this sauce says “pow.” It hits your entire tongue in an instant with some seriously savory, floral notes. It’s definitely an unexpected experience. It’s different but in that way that you are craving.

Ingredients Explained:

How to Roast Brussels Sprouts

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ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH CITRUS MISO GLAZE

DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN

I'm firmly in the camp that we underestimate the value of bitter greens. Take these Brussels sprouts. On their own, they're bitter and slightly spicy. When roasted? These become caramelized, less bitter, and pair spectacularly with this citrus-based sauce. You get umami, floral, and mustard flavors from this dish that leaves your taste buds wanting more.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword Brussels sprouts

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 138kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Brussels Sprouts:

• 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts halved, stems removed
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil high-heat, neutral oil
• ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt or use truffle salt
• Fresh ground black pepper 15 turns

Citrus Miso Glaze:

• 1 ½ teaspoons tamari
• 1 ½ teaspoons miso paste such as white, chickpea, or yellow
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh citrus juice ideally yuzu or a combination of lemon and grapefruit
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tiny pinch evaporated cane sugar
• ¼ teaspoon truffle oil*
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil neutral oil

Instructions

• Roast. Preheat oven 400F. Toss Brussels sprouts, oil, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and lay out on a sheet tray, making sure not to crowd. Roast until golden brown and tender, stirring every 4 minutes.
• Toss Brussels sprouts with the glaze. In a medium prep bowl, combine tamari, miso, yuzu, nutritional yeast, and sugar. Whisk while adding oil one drop at a time until emulsified. Toss roasted Brussels sprouts with the glaze and use tongs to serve.

Video

Notes

Truffle oil: You may replace the salt in this recipe with truffle salt (that’s salt sold with pieces of truffle in it) and omit the truffle oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1half cup portion | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 856IU | Vitamin C: 97mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Artichokes are such a delicacy but because they contain so many inedible parts, they can be downright daunting. If you love the taste and want to learn how to cut, cook, and eat them with ease, welcome! Today is the day you master the artichoke.

Let me start by saying that I am especially glad you are here. My favorite recipes involve some sort of challenge and the ability to be creative beyond cooking101. I KNOW that if you are reading this, you likely are a frayed apron cook in your own right. I see you!

I covet an artichoke. We never had them growing up.

This weekend, my sense of accomplishment came from teaching my son how to eat his first artichoke. He loved it! Even my husband, who is never excited about artichokes, raved “these are the best!” His apathy for them comes from thinking of them as steamed and lifeless.

All of this is to say, clean your chokes, stuff and roast them and people will think of you as an artichoke angel. Definitely plan on at least an entire artichoke per person. It’s hard to share that prized heart!

Gather Your Ingredients:

Today, we will be steaming, then stuffing and roasting whole artichokes with the usual players: breadcrumbs, olive oil, and garlic but also some pairings that you might not expect: capers, roasted bell peppers, and a citrusy vinaigrette.

When you sink into this artichoke, you will get earthy and briny tastes amplified by acidity (so not quite as rich as a dairy-based recipe). This is a pretty refreshing spring dish with lots of whole foods ingredients.

Would you look at that?

These are so gosh darn pretty. They make for a lovely appetizer for a family brunch. Honestly, I think they’d make a fabulous vegetarian centerpiece. Regardless of how you serve them, you can’t go wrong with an artichoke.

You can even make these gluten-free if you use gluten-free breadcrumbs, making this recipe:

Visual Tutorial on How to Prepare Fresh Artichokes 

Ingredient Tip: Did you know that cut artichokes oxidize and turn black? To prevent them from turning colors, you simply place them in a bowl of acidulated water (water with lemon juice usually) or just rub your halved lemon directly on the artichoke where you cut it open.

How to Cut

It’s probably safest to use a serrated knife to trim the top portion of the artichoke but I almost always use a really sharp chef’s knife.

Other nice things to have are a pair of kitchen shears for removing the pointy end of petals (about ¼ of the way down allows the petals to sit flat). While you can remove the fuzz while the artichoke is raw. It’s quite a bit simpler to do this step after the artichokes have been steamed.

Steam (Don’t Boil)

A steamer basket is key and will enable you to keep the artichokes above the boiling water. Steaming with a spritz or two of fresh lemon juice maintains the color and flavor of the artichokes as they cook.

Cooking Tip: If your steamer basket sits very low, you may need to add additional water halfway through as you really don’t want the artichokes submerged. Boiling will zap your artichokes of their flavor.

After the artichokes have cooled, you can remove the inedible center (so, just remove the fuzzy portion) with a spoon. This will vastly improve the eating experience.

Why Bother Roasting?

While you can eat freshly steamed artichokes, we are using a breadcrumb-based stuffing and we want to get the breadcrumbs slightly golden brown and crispy. Roasting also intensifies the flavor of each ingredient and allows everything to come together.

How to Cook Stuffed Artichokes

Really fill the heck out of your artichokes then roast them until you see the breadcrumbs brown in spots. This could take 15 minutes or longer.

How to Eat

You pull the leaves off one-by-one and bite down pulling and scraping the remove “the meat.” You can use a fork to enjoy little bites of the breadcrumb center, too.

Truly, I was surprised how quickly my 2-year-old figured out how to scrape the leaves with his teeth. He really seemed to get a kick out of this one.

Sometimes a photo (or video) is worth a thousand words. If at any point you’re not understanding an instruction, please check out the images or drop me a comment. I always try to get back to people as quickly as I can.

To reiterate, I love connecting with people who are well on their way through their cooking journey. It means I get to share even more creative recipes (like this one!). Oh, I DO hope you’ll come back:)

Your Curated Recipe Playlist:

• Homemade Pasta
• Rotisserie Chicken How-To with Seasonal Vegetable
• Creamy Rhubarb Lime Sorbet
• Extra Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies (Dairy Free)

The Frayed Apron is committed to several rounds of testing so that our recipes always work! Here’s the feedback we received from our recipe tester:

Stuffed artichokes – No notes really, instructions were straightforward, it was pretty yummy. My family jokes that artichokes are the only food in the world I don’t like but I think you’ve converted me!

Adam Rahman, recipe tester and food photographer

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STUFFED ARTICHOKES

DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, NUT FREE, SOY FREE, VEGAN

Freshly prepared artichokes are a must try. Serve these stuffed chokes as a gourmet vegetarian appetizer or a main course.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword artichoke

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people (1 artichoke each)

Calories 543kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• steamer pot with steamer basket
• Kitchen shears
• Chef’s knife

Ingredients

• 2 approximately 1-pound artichokes, washed and dried
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons capers drained
• ½ cup roasted red pepper from 1 roasted pepper or from the jar, minced
• 1/2 cup packed baby spinach minced
• 1 cup breadcrumbs such as store bought or homemade (gluten free is ok)

Instructions

• Prepare the artichokes. Use a chef’s knife or serrated knife to cut straight through the top 2-inches of each artichoke and enough off the base to allow the artichoke to sit flatly. Use kitchen scissors or a chef’s knife to discard any tough outer leaves (usually toward the bottom of the artichoke stem-end). Use scissors to cut sharp tips of leaves.
• Steam the artichokes. Fill a pot with a couple inches of water and place a steam rack on top. Set the artichokes, stem-end up on the rack. Drizzle with about ¼ teaspoon acid (lemon juice or red wine vinegar) per artichoke then cover. Simmer over medium low heat until tender, about 40 minutes (more or less time, depending on the size of your artichokes*).
• Make the stuffing. Whisk together the orange juice, red wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper. Mix in the capers, roasted red pepper, spinach, and breadcrumbs.
• Stuff the artichokes then roast. After steaming, use a pair of tongs to remove the artichokes to cool on a plate. Gently remove just enough of the leaves from the center to reveal the “hairs” or fuzz. Use a spoon to gently scrape away and discard the fuzz to reveal a clean “heart.” Place the artichokes in a baking dish (or casserole dish) heart-side up so that they fit snugly. Use a spoon to pack the center of each choke with plenty of stuffing. Next, drizzle filling between the leaves; tip: using your fingers to spread the leaves will help you get more stuffing in there. Season each artichoke with salt then roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumb stuffing appears golden. Serve and savor each and every bite.

Video

Notes

Timing artichokes and cook time:

It’s actually pretty difficult to offer a universal cook time for artichokes because they cook at different rates depending on the size and other factors.

If you can pierce them through easily with a skewer, they may be removed from the steamer. You will be roasting further so it’s ok if the artichoke doesn’t just fall right off the skewer (this visual is the one you would look for if you were only steaming and not following with a roast).

Nutrition

Serving: 1stuffed artichoke | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 1252mg | Potassium: 753mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 977IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 5mg

Recipe Photography by Adam Rahman

These gluten-free mini pizzas are so good to me.

Ravenous toddlers and infants gobble them up *silently*. Newly gluten-free husbands insist they are as good (if not better than) the local gluten-free pizza restaurant.

Oh, and they must be easy to make because I have made them more than any other recipe this year.

How to Save $ with Bulk Buys

Do you shop at Costco? These days, pretty cost conscious and set about creating this recipe to save money and keep pizza Fridays. Turns out, you can buy and freeze two giant bags of shredded mozzarella from Costco. Costco also now stocks a very decent gluten-free flour blend by a brand called Namaste.

And in case you don’t already know, canned Marzano tomatoes with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning make the world’s BEST pizza sauce (dramatic, I know, but true). You can even find the toppings at Costco; we like the canned mushrooms, salami, and basil pesto.

At the risk of sounding bossy, stock these ingredients and you will always have a dinner back-up plan when you need one. Definitely convenient, tasty, and staggeringly cheaper than eating out.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust with Yeast

Let’s talk about this crust: It’s mellow in flavor and tastes best when slightly on the crispy side. Basically, just follow the recipe and you’ll be in gluten-free pizza heaven. You’ll get zero complaints.

Let’s talk about yeast: I am recommending active dry yeast in this recipe which gets combined with lukewarm water and sugar; in other words, you have to activate it. While you don’t have to allow your crust time to rise, if you like tiny airy bubbles, you really should be patient and wait. I’m patient about 50% of the time, and I always prefer the crust best when I let it rise.

How to Make Mini Gluten-Free Pizzas – Step by Step Process

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil is one of the key ingredients for making pizza dough; for flavor and texture
• coconut sugar or honey for the yeast. Feel free to substitute granulated white sugar if that’s what you have.
• active dry yeast
• gluten-free flour: You can use your own bread flour blend or use something like a cup-for-cup all-purpose blend. I like Namaste 1:1 Perfect Flour Blend but we also tested Robin Hood Gluten-Free Flour Blend and it worked well, too. If you try your own homemade blend, feel free to share in the community chat below.
• xanthan gum optional but I like to leave it in because it makes the dough slightly more elastic and easier to spread; you can find xanthan gum (online) in the baking aisle and it’s one of those ingredients that has a long shelf life, so don’t worry about buying it in bulk if you plan on regularly baking gluten-free.
• fennel seed: ground fennel seed is an optional spice that will remind you of the flavor of sausage. Feel free to leave it out, if you desire.
• salt is for enhancing the flavor of the crust. I like sea salt and Kosher salt.
• egg optional–makes for a softer pizza crust–note: I prefer a crispier crust and leave the egg out

Topping Ingredients:

Feel free to use whatever toppings you’d like. These are my favorites:

• Canned san Marzano peeled tomatoes: I like to simply use my fingers to crush the large pieces of tomatoes as I’m topping the pizzas and then use a spoon to get the liquid sauce directly from the can. You won’t believe the flavor of this simple sauce!
• Italian seasoning completes the flavor of the sauce (just a sprinkle per pizza).
• Mozzarella cheese low moisture part-skim shredded: I like to do a thin layer from edge to edge.
• Salami thin sliced such as Genoa, cut into small squares: I sometimes favor salami over pepperoni but feel free to use whatever you like.
• mushroom slices can be fresh or canned; feel free to substitute black olives if you prefer!
• Fresh basil leaves thinly sliced adds something fresh in flavor and color.
• Red chile flakes for serving, if you don’t mind a little heat.

To activate your yeast, be sure to use warm water (below 110F). Bubbles are an indication that the yeast mixture is ready to use.

Whisk your gluten-free flour with the xanthan gum then combine with yeast mixture, salt, and olive oil to form a thick paste (pictured above).

Using the back of a spoon, you can smooth the batter to form flat, disks approximately 1/4-inch thick. Be sure to do this step on top of parchment paper so the pizzas hold together while they bake.

Technique Tip: Keep the toppings light. You don’t want to overload your pizzas because then the crust won’t get as crispy.

Variation Instructions and Inspiration

Deep dish style: You can line a cast iron skillet with parchment paper and spread the batter on the bottom and up the sides. Partially bake for 20 minutes, then add your toppings: sauce, cheese, etc. Bake another 20 minutes, then slice and serve your pizza pie. This recipe yields 1 deep-dish pizza.

Large size thin crust pizzas: You don’t have to make 3-inch miniature pizzas. You can spread your crust out as far as you like (this recipe yields two large thin crust pizzas) as long as you remember to do everything on top of parchment paper on a tray. It’s easier to transfer a tray with a large pizza into the oven than it is to try and move the pizza.

Toppings: thinly sliced ham, pineapple, jalapeno, barbecue sauce, barbecued pulled pork, sausage, peppers, onion, roasted garlic, artichoke hearts, banana peppers, parmesan, buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, shredded Rotisserie chicken.

So what toppings have you tried? If you like a gluten-free flour, please share your favorite blends in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

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GLUTEN-FREE MINI PIZZAS

If you don’t already know, gluten-free pizza “dough” has a spreadable consistency (think: batter) and is unlike wheat pizza dough in that regard. What I LOVE about this recipe is that it requires yeast, so it will remind you of regular pizza dough. For best results, I recommend a few fundamentals: keep the crust ultra thin, top sparsely, and cook until nice and crisp–all on top of parchment paper!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free, pizza

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9 mini pizzas (about 3-inches wide)

Calories 151kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for greasing sheet trays
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or honey
• 1 cup lukewarm water 105F
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour favorite brand: Namaste 1:1 Perfect Flour Blend
• 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum optional but I like to leave it in because it makes the dough slightly more elastic and easier to spread
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed optional
• ½ teaspoon salt
• *1 egg optional–makes for a softer pizza crust–note: I prefer a crispier crust and leave the egg out
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• Toppings:
• Canned san Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Italian seasoning
• Mozzarella cheese low moisture part-skim shredded
• Salami thin sliced such as Genoa, cut into small squares
• 1 can mushroom slices drained
• Fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
• Red chile flakes for serving

Instructions

• Lightly coat 2 half-sheet trays with olive oil and line with parchment paper*.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the sweetener of choice in water and add yeast. Wait until you see bubbles, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, fennel, and salt. Combine flour mixture with bubbly yeast mixture. Stir briefly to combine. Add egg (if using) along with 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir to form a thick, creamy paste.
• Spoon batter onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to form 6, 3-inch pizzas: With circular motion, spread each circle out with back of spoon to about 3 inches in diameter. Thinner cooks better so get that crust as thin as you can.
• Cover with inverted baking pan and let rise 40-45 minutes. Note: You can skip this step and cook right away but I think the flavor and texture of the dough is lighter, airier, crisper, and more flavorful if you wait.
• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Top each mini pizza with a thin layer of tomato sauce from the can (as in the sauce and any whole tomatoes that you sort of smash or tear up real small), a pinch of Italian seasoning, mozzarella cheese spread all the way to the outer edges (I love the way it crisps on the outside), salami, and mushroom slices.
• Dribble remaining oil over each mini pizza.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly browned. Best served warm with fresh basil and red chile flakes.

Video

Notes

Note: With gluten-free pizzas, it’s necessary to spread the batter using the back of a spoon. You really need to do this on top of parchment paper or the dough will stick and be difficult to remove.

Testing Note: If you would like to cook the pizza on the parchment paper directly on the oven’s rack, so no sheet tray, you can. I recommend sliding the parchment using a pizza peel or cutting board onto the rack. When opting to do this, I typically do one larger pizza at a time on parchment paper because otherwise the toppings tend to fall off.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini 3-inch pizza | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

This recipe is part of my cooking Basics series, a collection of recipes that are all about how to cook basic, everyday things.

My dad notoriously undercooked wild rice throughout my childhood. It was always a task to eat it, and I didn’t learn how to cook it until I went to culinary school.

Turns out, you want to cook wild rice like pasta. That is to say, in salted boiling water. You also want to look for the grains to sort of burst open. Trust me, it makes all the difference.

Wild rice fetches a premium price because it can involve being harvested by canoe as it grows in water like a grass; making it difficult to cultivate.

How Much Water to Use When Cooking Wild Rice

Unlike regular rice which involves precise measurements, wild rice is less finicky because the outer shell prevents it from turning mushy. You don’t have to be as precious about the ratios of water to wild rice. Just be sure the rice has plenty of room to cook. In other words, you can’t have too much water when cooking wild rice (but you could have too little).

How to Tell Wild Rice Is Done

Simply dump it into a pot of boiling water and cook until you see the grains burst open. You do want to remove the rice as soon as this happens. It is possible to over-do it with the cooking. As a rule of thumb, wild rice takes anywhere from 35 to 55 minutes, depending on the brand. Just begin checking every 20 minutes or so.

Best Way to Serve Wild Rice

Once strained, the wild rice will have the best texture if you allow it to steam and fluff it with a fork.

You can serve wild rice like a salad with a shallot vinaigrette and some dried cranberries or with a hearty wild mushroom sauce like my mushroom stroganoff. It’s lovely as a side to some broiled salmon and those pan drippings can double as a sauce for the rice, too.

Hope you enjoyed this basic cooking method. Now, grab your apron and let’s go!

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How to Cook Wild Rice

You want to treat wild rice less like rice and more like pasta.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword wild rice

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 158kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups wild rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Instructions

• Boil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and the wild rice. Stir every so often to ensure the rice cooks evenly. Note: You can check the bag for approximate cook time. Typically 35 to 55 minutes.
• Strain and serve. When you see the grains visibly split open, immediately strain using a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with some olive oil or butter to fluff and allow steam to escape. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cup portion | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

You only need 5 ingredients and hot skillet to get these sautéed snow peas on the dinner table in a flash.

After a long winter, I eagerly await fresh spring offerings, especially snow peas. When I can grow them, I’m usually one to simply eat them right off the vine but then I feel guilty because I know I really should share with the rest of the family.

So here’s a proper recipe and a reason for us all to gather and enjoy together.

Now, snow peas are such a fun raw snack so I wouldn’t dream of distracting from their subtle virtues: their crispness, their mild sweetness, their lovely color.

This is one simple recipe but don’t let that fool you. It packs a punch (especially if you can sneak in some minced mint or tarragon right at the end).

Snow Peas vs Snap Peas – What’s the Difference?

Snow peas have a flat pod with tiny, premature peas inside whereas sugar snap peas are more rounded with larger peas. Since their flavors are quite similar, you can easily use them interchangeably in this recipe.

5 Basic Ingredients for Sautéed Snow Peas

There’s just salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil (or butter) and a squirt of lemon juice right at the end. And don’t forget the zest.

Cooking Tips for Snow Peas

Definitely get your pan nice and hot from the start. You don’t want the food to steam too much. Just a quick toss with some fat will bring out the color a bit and will intensify the flavor while preserving the crunch.

After only a couple of minutes of tossing the snow peas in the skillet, you finish the snow peas off with a small amount of acid from the lemon to really make the green color deepen.

These are so pretty, you can’t NOT want to pop them in your mouth.

Serving Ideas

If you’re looking for a few sides to throw together. You can make a great meal with a protein side:

• Broiled Salmon with Honey Mustard Glaze
• How to Make Crispy, Juicy Chicken Thighs
• Pan Seared Steak with Blistered Shishito Peppers

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5-Minute Snow Peas Recipe

Snow peas are a cold weather crop so they are harvested in Spring and Fall. Since the seeds aren't fully mature, they have a mild, sweet delicate flavor.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword snow peas

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 79kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 16 ounces 1 bag snow peas
• olive oil or butter
• sea salt
• lemon zest and juice
• freshly ground black pepper or red chile flakes optional

Instructions

• Prep the snow peas. Grab any hard stems and pull to remove any thick fibers that might be unpleasant to eat.
• Sauté, season, and serve. Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat with a glug of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Add the snow peas and stir occasionally cooking just a few minutes. Season with salt (pepper, too, if you’d like) and shave some lemon zest over top (a quick squirt of lemon will brighten the green color even more). Serve as a bright, crisp side to salmon or enjoy as-is!

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cup serving | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1233IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

With thin strips of cucumber as the wrapper, these nibbles prove that you don’t need to go to a sushi restaurant when the craving strikes. Fresh tuna is such a splurge and yet always leaves me proclaiming, “I could eat this way every week!”

You can’t go wrong with cucumber, tuna, and avocado. This combination is so fresh and the textures work in harmony. A spritz of lime and a thin slice of jalapeno round out all the flavors for one glorious bite.

This simple spring dish is a blast.

There’s a creaminess from the avocado and some crunch from microgreens, jalapeno, and cucumber. And the tuna! Let’s not forget about the luxurious tuna–so smooth and melt in your mouth.

Plus, you can make this recipe in about 15-minutes in one pan! So, there’s really no downside.

While these seem like an appetizer, I habitually make this dish a full meal by adding rice and miso soup to the table. If you have day-old rice, even better, I have this ahi tuna recipe that will walk you through how to make crispy golden rice in the same pan as the seared tuna.

Watch How to Make Cucumber Tuna Avocado Rolls (Video)

You can watch how to prepare the cucumber and layer the ingredients to make rolling easy.

Ingredients/Tips/Substitutions

• Tuna steaks (6 to 7 ounces/180-200g each) (boneless, skinless): Fresh tuna with vibrant color and marbling will have the best flavor and texture. Use purchased fish within 2 days.
• Olive oil: A high heat oil for searing the tuna. Avocado oil is a great alternative.
• Salt: sea salt or Kosher salt ensure maximum flavor
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Seedless English cucumbers: This forms the wrap and can be prepared easily with an open faced vegetable peeler or a mandolin set to the thinnest setting
• Avocados: you can ripen avocados quickly by placing in a brown paper bag someplace high (with a banana if possible)
• Microgreens: any delicate microgreen works; I like anything with a spicy bite, like radish or mustard greens (you can even grow microgreens yourself). Chopped cilantro is a good substitute.
• Jalapeno: Just a thin slice per bite gives the right amount of heat to accentuate the other flavors.
• Lime: Balances the savory flavors by adding a fresh, acid component.

Equipment Tip: a mandolin or vegetable peeler is key for peeling extra thin slices of cucumber for rolling. If you don’t own one, you can deconstruct the whole dish and serve it salad style in a bowl.

Step-by-Step Instructions and Cooking Tips

Step 1 – Cook Tuna.

Be sure to season the tuna well with salt and pepper. Rub with a thin coat of olive oil.

In a really hot pan, sear the tuna until you see a nice, even gold crust form. Repeat on the other side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

Step 2 – Prepare the Vegetables.

There are several ways to get thin strips of cucumber. You can use a vegetable peeler easily enough or a mandolin. If you don’t have either, you could thinly slice the cucumber and serve everything salad-style in a bowl.

Ingredient Tip: Look for “English cucumber” because the seeds are very delicate and English cucumbers tend to be long, making them perfect for strips (see above picture).

Step 3 – Assemble. Roll. Serve.

You can cut the tuna into thin ¼-inch thick squares (about 1-inch x 1-inch). Make sure the tuna has cooled completely or it will tear when you cut into it.

To assemble: Place the cucumber strip in front of you (note: you may need to stack 2 pieces of cucumber on top of each other).

Add a single layer of tuna starting from one end and leaving at least half the length bare (over-stuffed cucumber will be difficult to roll). Repeat with the avocado slices, a thin layer of microgreens, adding a single slice of jalapeno per roll.

Starting at the end with the tuna, begin to roll to form a single bite-sized roll. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Serve with lime juice.

FAQs

What temperature for cooking tuna steak?

Rare: A final temperature of about 90 degrees for that beautiful red color and luxurious texture that tuna is known for. You can cook it to medium-rare (130 degrees when measured at the thickest point) but any further and it will become dry.

How do you ripen avocado?

Place the unripe avocado in a paper bag with a banana and place on a shelf up high. This method will ripen an avocado within about 8 hours, so it’s great to do this the night before.

How many calories in a spicy tuna roll?

Approximately 460 calories in the total recipe, so divide the number of rolls you get by 460 and that’s the number of calories per roll.

How to store:

While you could make this dish ahead, I’d recommend omitting the salt because it will draw too much moisture out of the cucumber. You could assemble the rolls and store in a container in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The lime will prevent the avocado from oxidizing somewhat, but the ingredients will be at their best texture when fresh.

Now that you have the basic technique, it’s time to test the waters. You’ll soon get the hang of how to stack and roll everything. It’s also fun to lay everything out and let people stack and roll at the table together. It’s interactive and fun!

More Fresh Seafood Recipes For You:

• Halibut Foil Pack with White Wine Sauce
• Beer Braised Mussels with Spicy Salami and Sun-Dried Tomato
• Lemon Orzo Shrimp Salad
• Baked Scallops with Citrus Ginger Sauce

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CUCUMBER TUNA AVOCADO SALAD ROLLS

One Pot, Fast

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free

Fresh tuna served rare is paired with everything it needs: salt, fat, heat, and acid.

These fresh little bites can be served a number of ways as an appetizer or light lunch: as sushi rolls, in a salad bowl, on top of cucumber coins (thickly sliced cucumber), or stuffed inside of cucumber. The sky is the limit and what really matters is the ingredients coming together into one harmonious bite not so much the exact presentation.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword avocado, cucumber, rolls, salad, tuna

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 122kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 tuna steaks (6 to 7 ounces/180-200g each) (boneless, skinless)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 seedless English cucumbers outer peel removed and thinly peeled lengthwise into wide strips
• 2 ripe avocados cut in half, seed and skins removed
• Microgreens
• 1 jalapeno sliced very thinly
• 1 lime cut in half

Instructions

• Cook tuna. Drizzle half the oil over the tuna. Smear over one side then sprinkle with half the salt and pepper, flip and repeat. Heat skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Place tuna steak in the skillet and cook on all sides for 45 seconds. You just want to sear the outside but keep the center rare (118F in the middle). Move to a plate and allow to cool completely before slicing.
• Prepare the vegetables. Use either a vegetable peeler or mandolin to slice the cucumber lengthwise into long thin strips. Set on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt to remove excess water. With the avocado (rounded side face-up) cut into very thin ¼-inch thick slices lengthwise.
• Assemble the tuna salad rolls, slice, and serve. Once the tune is completely cool, cut it into thin ¼-inch thick squares (about 1-inch x 1-inch). To assemble: Place the cucumber strip in front of you (note: you may need to stack 2 pieces of cucumber on top of eachother). Add a single layer of tuna starting from one end and leaving at least half the length bare (over-stuffed cucumber will be difficult to roll). Repeat with the avocado slices, a thin layer of microgreens, adding a single slice of jalapeno per roll. Starting at the end with the tuna, begin to roll to form a single bite-sized roll. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve with lime juice.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (Total rolls made/4) | Calories: 122kcal | Protein: 20g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 214mg | Vitamin A: 1856IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Mussels are memorable and customizable. Lightning fast to make. Simple. Bread was made to be dunked in flavorful, rich mussel broth.

Here’s your casual-fancy mussel manifesto: black mussels + hard salami + sun-dried tomato + beer

Got it? Good. Now, get your charred bread ready because things are about to get sopping delicious in about 20 minutes.

Watch How to Braise Mussels in Beer

You can see how much liquid comes off of the mussels when you cover them.

Black Mussels in Beer Broth

Black mussels are more tender than green mussels and we love them because they are a sustainable seafood. I’m a huge fan of white wine sauce with mussels but alas, I am a beer drinker so am far more likely to have beer, you know, lying around. If you’ve never tried beer with mussels, you are missing out!

HOW-TO CLEAN MUSSELS

Ingredient Notes

• olive oil: you need a little fat for sweating the onion; butter would also be fabulous
• onion: white or yellow onion is best (medium = 1/2 cup chopped)
• sun-dried tomatoes: if super hard, you can soften them with a tablespoon of boiling water then chop; you could substitute 1 tablespoon tomato paste (but try to get the tomatoes if you can)
• Soppressata is a kind of dry cured salami that can have a sweet, salty, or spicy flavor and contains seasonings like garlic and fennel seed. It’s available where deli meats are sold.
• black mussels: 1 pound per person if an appetizer or 2 pounds per person for a meal; must be fresh
• beer: Amberbock (dark lager) or shiner bock to keep it somewhat light while still getting caramelly/nutty slightly hoppy flavors
• parsley: something green as a garnish gives the broth fresh flavor
• bread: can be toasted with butter as a crostini but I love a nice charred bread best

Braising Mussels Recipe Rundown

Step 1 – Saute the onion, sun-dried tomato and soppressata.

Put the olive oil in a large pot that can later be covered, and turn the heat to medium. Combine the onion, sun-dried tomato and soppressata. Stir occasionally to cook evenly and to release the flavors, about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and somewhat translucent.

Step 2 – Toss and serve. 

Put the cleaned mussels in the pot; cover and cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until mussels open, about 10 minutes. If they have not generated enough broth for you, add the beer/wine and cook, uncovered, another 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with grilled crusty bread.

Mussel FAQs

Mussel doesn’t open when cooked? Many professional cooks will tell you to discard mussels that don’t open, but not so fast. It’s possible that some shells were pushed closed during cooking or that the mussel didn’t relax and if that’s the case, you can still serve them. Before discarding, compare the smell, color, and texture of the closed mussels to the open ones.

Live versus chilled versus frozen – What’s the difference?

Live mussels are still breathing when sold and will live for up to 4 days if handled correctly. Chilled mussels can be used if you trust the supply chain and if they pass a sensory test. Frozen mussels are partially cooked so will need less time to cook than fresh, raw mussels. If you want to use mussels that are frozen in the whole shell, you can use them at a 1:1 ratio. If the frozen mussels contain a half-shell, then you will only need 2 pounds in this recipe.

Live mussels – should I remove the beard?

You don’t have to but you should. The beard is where the mussel attaches to rocks so it can be tough, visually unappealing, and impart residue in the broth.

Shellfish/seafood allergy – am I allergic to mussels, too?

A mussel is a type of shellfish called a bivalve, which is a mollusk and is different from a crustacean (shrimp, lobster, and crab). A lot of people believe they are allergic to all shellfish, but in fact they can be allergic to either both or only one of these types of shellfish.

Seasonality and mussels

Just like with plants, you can apply a seasonal framework to seafood. Mussels will fill more of their shell and be at their best during the cold winter months.

More Fresh Seafood Recipes For You:

• Lemon Orzo Shrimp Salad
• Honey Garlic-Glazed Shrimp and Broccoli
• Pan Seared Ahi Tuna with Crispy Rice
• Sheet Pan Chili Garlic Shrimp
• Baked Salmon with Parsley Garlic Crust
• Thai Sea Bass
• Baked Scallops with Citrus Ginger Sauce

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BLACK MUSSELS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND SPICY SALAMI

The rich flavors of sun-dried tomato, soppressata, and beer form the base for these brothy mussels. I like to serve with charred bread for a rustic, romantic flare.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword mussels

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 325kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium white/yellow onion chopped
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced small, then roughly chopped
• ¼ cup spicy soppressata a kind of sweet and spicy dry-cured salami, chopped
• 4 pounds black mussels rinsed and debearded
• ¼ cup beer dry white wine as substitute
• Chopped parsley for garnish
• Grilled bread for serving

Instructions

• Saute the onion, sun-dried tomato and soppressata. Put the olive oil in a large pot that can later be covered, and turn the heat to medium. Combine the onion, sun-dried tomato and soppressata. Stir occasionally to cook evenly and to release the flavors, about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and somewhat translucent.
• Toss and serve. Put the cleaned mussels in the pot; cover and cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until mussels open, about 10 minutes. If they have not generated enough broth for you, add the beer/wine and cook, uncovered, another 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with grilled crusty bread.

Video

Notes

Cleaning: Rinse and scrub the mussels under cool running water. Remove any “beards” by pulling the fiber down toward the hinge end. (I keep a clean pair of needle-nose pliers around for this.) Discard the beards and any open mussels that do not close within 30 seconds after a hard tap.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 830mg | Potassium: 1047mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 431IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 10mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Crispy smashed potatoes with sauce options are my love language. Aren’t they everybody’s?

These tasty morsels are like a cross between oven fries and a baked potato–smash fries if you will. They are easy peasy to make and you’ve got to try them with these refreshing condiments (or add cheese and make cheesy smashed potatoes!).

As you can see, you can dunk these in a yogurt-based sauce with chives or mix and match with a jalapeno hot sauce. Spicy-cool flavors balance each other out and round out this fun side dish.

To make the smashers, you just boil golf ball-sized potatoes, press down and roast in olive oil until oh-so-crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes (Tostones)

Introducing your new favorite way with potatoes: boiled, smashed, drizzled, then roasted!

These beauties will remind you of French fries, but I think more appealing and of the earth. Smashing gives the surface all these nooks and crannies for extra crisp action. Delightfully rustic.

These are such a blank canvas for all your favorite sauces but please try mine, too!

You can make a jalapeno hot sauce and a cool, creamy yogurt-chive dip in less than 5-minutes. You ferment the jalapeno hot sauce at room temperature for 3 to 7 days, that’s where the magic happens. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip the sauces and eat these straight off the tray.

And since I’ve never had a potato that didn’t taste better with more salt. These are nice and salty like potato chips with speckles of black pepper. Simple and effective crowd-pleasers.

In honor of my potato-sauce obsession, I give to you my most loved smashed potato condiment set. I can’t wait for you to dig in!

Potato Smashers Ingredients (Condiments, Too!)

You need 4 ingredients to make potato smashers (potatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper). The jalapenos, apple cider vinegar, Greek yogurt and chives are optional ingredients for making the condiments:

• Jalapenos: Jalapenos can range from small to large. There’s wiggle room when making a hot sauce (+/- one). Aim for 5 medium to large jalapenos or use 7 small ones. I like to use the seeds because I love spicy food. The hot sauce will mellow considerably as it lacto-ferments. If you don’t want to make your own, you can usually find really good jalapeno hot sauce in the store. If you want to tame the heat level, you could use 3 jalapenos and 1 green bell pepper instead.
• kosher salt: you need a good amount of salt for the hot sauce and can season the potatoes to taste otherwise (sea salt is ok)
• apple cider vinegar: used to speed up the process of fermentation, ok to use white vinegar instead.
• potatoes: avoid large potatoes and look for small- to medium-sized Russet, Maris Piper, King Edward, Idaho, etc. for a fluffy texture. You can use waxy potatoes but because they contain less starch, they don’t smash as easily and the texture will be a bit creamier.
• olive oil: any high heat oil will work. Avocado oil has great flavor. I prefer oil because it ensures even cooking. If you want to add butter, I would cut the oil in half and only add the butter in the last 20 minutes of cooking to avoid burning.
• ground black pepper: I recommend using freshly ground. Red pepper flakes would work, too.
• plain greek yogurt: Greek yogurt or Lebneh (if you can find it) is ideal as a dip because it’s thicker than regular yogurt and has a nice tang, much like sour cream. You can use sour cream if you’d like.
• chives: I prefer the fresh onion flavor of chives over onion powder. If you can’t find chives, green onion is the best substitute. You could use 1 teaspoon onion powder instead.

About Homemade Jalapeno Hot Sauce (Lactofermented)

Many hot sauces are aged using a process called lacto-fermentation whereby wild beneficial bacteria meld with peppers taking the flavors to new, tangy heights. You blend the jalapenos with water, salt, and vinegar and let it sit at room temperature. After just a few days, you can taste test to see if you like the flavor (p.s. I like the flavor quite tangy so I age mine for 7 days).

Word to the wise, don’t reduce the salt in the jalapeno sauce. Salt is how we discourage unwanted bacteria.

Equipment Tip: To make the hot sauce, you can use a bullet-style blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. If you don’t own either, you can finely mince the jalapenos instead. To get the oil off your hands, you can rub them with oil and then proceed to wash thoroughly with soap and water.

Step-by-Step Instructions Plus Cooking Tips

Let’s double cook potatoes and get them nice and golden in the oven!

Step 1 is optional and involves making the jalapeno hot sauce.

You can skip the first step and use store-bought hot sauce if you are making this recipe same day.

Step 2 involves boiling the potatoes (skin-on) until you can easily pierce them straight through to the center with a sharp knife, about 25 minutes if using small potatoes.

Smashing Tool: You will have an easier time smashing whole starchy potatoes (as opposed to waxy varieties). The best tool for the job is a potato smasher. If you don’t own one, you could try using a heavy cast iron pan (just be sure the bottom isn’t dirty).

Step 3 involves roasting at 450°F.

After straining the potatoes and allowing to steam for a few minutes, you set them on a well-oiled baking tray. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to press the potatoes gently until flattened (more contact with the tray + more surface area = more crispy potatoes). Allow to steam for a minute, then drizzle with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes appear golden brown and crisp.

Cooking Tip: Please allow the potatoes to steam (in the colander and after smashing). This allows moisture to escape and ensures your potatoes will get extra crispy.

Step 4 is where you mix up a quick yogurt dip

As you can see, you can just mix the yogurt with the chives using a spoon. I like to reserve about half the minced chives for garnishing the potato smashers.

Smashers FAQs

Can I prep these ahead?

You can prep the jalapeno hot sauce and yogurt dip ahead. For the potatoes, you can par-roast these the day before, which means cooking them part way in the oven and then finishing them the day-of. Store partially roasted potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can I make smashed potatoes in the air fryer?

Absolutely! Follow the boiling and smashing directions then place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Drizzle with olive oil and season then cook at 200ºC/390ºF for 15-20 minutes.

What to serve with smashed potatoes:

You could add whole garlic cloves to the tray for some serious dirt candy. These golden crisp potatoes would be great with beer to drink, any condiment (malt vinegar, this easy apple barbecue sauce, or my creamy horseradish sauce to name a few). Try serving as a side dish to steak, fish, or some Crispy Chicken Thighs (drizzled with extra jalapeno hot sauce and yogurt dip, of course!).

However you decide to serve these potato smashers, one things for sure, you are in for one lovely evening.

Apron time!

MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

• Crispy and Tender Oven Roasted Potatoes
• Best Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
• Herb Infused Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes in the Crockpot
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Shephard’s Pie
• See all Potato Recipes

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CRISPY POTATO SMASHERS RECIPE (PLUS JALAPENO HOT SAUCE AND YOGURT DIP)

Crispy, fluffy, rustic smashed potatoes are a real crowd-pleaser. This recipe calls for 12 potatoes but make as many as you can fit (with space in-between) on a baking tray.

This recipe includes two optional condiments: a jalapeno hot sauce and a Greek yogurt dip but feel free to just make the smashed potatoes portion, if desired.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword potatoes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Optional Fermentation (if making hot sauce from scratch) 3 days days

Total Time 3 days days 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12 people

Calories 179kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Lacto-Fermented Jalapeno Hot Sauce Ingredients:

• 5 jalapenos
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Potato Smashers Ingredients:

• 12 small potatoes skin-on (Russet will be fluffier, waxy varieties will be more creamy)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Yogurt Dip Ingredients:

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon minced chives

Instructions

• Make jalapeno sauce (optional step). Remove the stems from the jalapenos and roughly chop. Place in a blender or food processor along with ½ cup filtered water, salt and apple cider vinegar and puree until mostly smooth. Transfer to a clean container and cover with a clean cloth secured with a rubber band. Place in a warm, dark area for between 3 and 7 days or until you like the taste (it should be pleasantly tangy when fermented). When you like the taste, transfer the hot sauce to the refrigerator to halt the fermentation process.
• Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes (skin-on) in a large pot or Dutch oven with water. Add several pinches of salt to make it taste like the sea. Bring to a boil on high heat and cook until you can easily pierce the potatoes straight through to the center with a sharp knife, about 25 minutes if using small potatoes.
• Roast. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

  Strain the potatoes and allow to steam for a few minutes then transfer to a well-oiled baking tray. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to press the potatoes gently until flattened (more contact with the tray + more surface area = more crispy potatoes). Allow to steam for a minute, then drizzle with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes appear golden brown and crisp.
• Make yogurt dip and serve.

  Serve the potatoes hot or room temperature with the jalapeno hot sauce on top (or on the side for dunking). Using just a bowl and spoon, I like to mix the yogurt up with about ½ of the minced chives and serve it on the side. Sprinkle the remaining chives on the potatoes as garnish.

Video

Notes

Nutrition per potato, assuming 12 potatoes and 1/12th portion of the condiment ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1potato with condiments | Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 1176mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman