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category: in the kitchen

in the kitchen: papaya slaw with lime and mint

I have no idea where the inspiration came from for this papaya slaw. One day I just woke up and decided I wanted some. However, papaya slaw calls for green (aka underripe) papaya, otherwise the pieces will just be a soft mess. Having limited experience with papayas, I dragged John to three grocery stores looking for a display marked “green papayas.” Uhhh…not my smartest moment. I finally realized that THEY’RE ALL GREEN and I should just look for one that’s not ripe

So here are my tips: pick one that’s as green as possible, with no yellow on the skin (it gets yellower as it ripens). It should be firm all over — no soft spots. Use it right away! If you let it sit at home it’ll ripen, and while it’ll be delicious for breakfast, it’ll make a terrible slaw.

The papaya I finally settled on was as big as my face.

Papaya-Face-Compressed

For this slaw recipe, we just used the one mammoth papaya since it yielded a huge bowl of flesh. After removing the skin with a vegetable peeler, we cut it open and assessed what was inside:

Papaya-1_Compressed

Not as underripe as I was expecting, but it would do. While the center was turning orange, all the flesh was still firm and not yet too sweet. If you cut yours open and it’s bright orange, juicy and sweet, it probably won’t make for the best slaw. Just eat it with a spoon and pick another one (green all over, and very firm) for your slaw.

John used a mandoline to julienne the papaya, then we made a dressing with white wine vinegar, Maui onion, lime juice, and papaya seeds. The seeds give the dressing a light peppery flavor…yum. And we love vinegar — we’re coming dangerously close to flat-out drinking salad dressing — so we really loaded ours up. Depending on what you like, you might want to start with less vinegar and adjust as you go.

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Papaya Slaw with Lime and Mint
Serves 4-6

2 medium papayas, or 1 gigantic papaya
1-2 tbs mint leaves, finely chopped
juice of 2 limes
1/2 c white wine or champagne vinegar
1/2 c sweet onion, chopped (we like Maui onions)
3 tbs papaya seeds
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil
salt

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin from the papaya. Use a mandoline to cut into julienne strips, or just use a really sharp knife and slice finely, to the size and shape of shoestring potatoes. But if you have a mandoline, that really works best!

2. Reserve the seeds. Clean and dry them, and pick through of any loose papaya flesh. You’ll use 2 tbs for the dressing…as for the others, well, you can plant your own papaya grove. :) We actually have four little baby papaya trees that we planted from seed!

3. Place the onion, vinegar, limes, honey, dijon, red pepper flakes, and 3 tbs of the seeds in a blender. Blend until smooth, streaming in the olive oil. I think I used about 1/4 cup; you want the dressing to be smooth, but not oily. Season to taste with a little salt.

4. Toss the papaya with the dressing and a tablespoon or two of fresh chopped mint leaves. (You may have some extra dressing, which would be delicious on a green salad.) Serve chilled.

in the kitchen: grilled corn salad with chili lime vinaigrette

Fresh local corn is usually in good supply here (Hawaii = corn? Who knew). I started making this salad over a year ago with sweet Kahuku corn from the KCC Farmers’ Market, using a Williams-Sonoma recipe as a starting point and customizing based on what we like and had in the house. Now I’m downright obsessed with it and it’s one of my favorite dishes to bring to gatherings with friends.

Grilling the corn with the husks on gives the kernels a toasty flavor (some of them even came out slightly blackened, yum). The lime vinaigrette is a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the corn, and chili powder and cayenne add just a touch of heat. When tossed with red onion, tomatoes, feta cheese and fresh herbs, this is a perfect summer salad for weekend barbeques. It also makes a pretty awesome “scoopable” salsa for tortilla chips!

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Grilled Corn Salad
Serves 6-8

6 ears of corn, outer husks removed (leave a couple of layers on)
1 c cherry tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
1/2 c red onion, finely diced
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbs fresh thyme or lemon thyme, chopped, woody stems removed
1 tbs fresh basil, stemmed and chopped

chili lime vinaigrette
juice of 4 limes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
splash of orange juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
dash turmeric
salt and pepper

1. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, and spices in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside (preferably in the fridge).

Corn-Salad_Limes_Compressed

2. Remove the outer husks from the corn, leaving on a couple of layers. Grill over medium-high heat for 20-30 minutes, until husks are brown and corn is cooked through. Allow to cool.

Corn-Salad_Grilling_Compressed

3. Remove and discard the husks. Use a knife to slice the kernels from the cob. Place corn in a large mixing bowl and break up any kernels that are stuck together.

4. Add the tomatoes, red onion, crumbled feta, thyme and basil. Whisk the dressing and stir in enough to coat. (You may have a little extra dressing…I like to save it for leftovers, since cold salads can soak up lots of the dressing in the fridge.)

5. Season with salt and fresh black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Corn-Salad_3_Compressed

in the kitchen: cavatappi with creamy braised leeks

This dish was SO delicious! It started out when we spotted some gigantic leeks at Whole Foods, and bought them without any plans for them.  John was a bit obsessed with braising at the time (still is), so into the pan they went.  We braised the leeks until they were soft and tender, and then promptly stole some to top a mini pizza (also at the party: port salut cheese and bacon…yum). The rest of ’em got combined with sweet Maui onions and garlic in a creamy pasta sauce.

We wanted a creamy, satisfying sauce, but we were able to cut down on the heavy cream by adding in some nonfat Greek yogurt — one of our favorite ways to add thickness and texture to sauces (not to mention its zestier flavor). But it’s not exactly a “light” dish, since we HAD to have bacon; its savory flavor is such an awesome counterpoint to the sweetness of the leeks and onions, and really adds something special to the dish. Say it with me: BACON MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER. A few slices are just right.

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Cavatappi with Creamy Braised Leeks
Serves 8 as a side or 4-6 as a main course

braised leeks
2 leeks, with roots and dark green leafy tops removed
(if your leeks are on the small side, use 3)
2 tbs butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken stock

1. Clean the leeks and remove the roots and leafy tops.

2. Melt 2 tbs butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and sear on all sides, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and continue cooking the leeks, turning frequently. This step should be about 5-6 minutes total (be careful not to burn the garlic).

3. Add the chicken stock and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes until leeks are soft and tender. Turn occasionally during cooking.

4. Strain leeks through a sieve, reserving the cooking liquid. Chop into small pieces. We’ll add back the braising liquid in our pasta recipe, but if you’re using the leeks for other purposes (like a pizza topping) you’ll want them without the liquid.

pasta + sauce
1 lb cavatappi pasta
1/4 lb bacon (we love applewood smoked)
1 tbs butter
olive oil
1 recipe braised leeks, above
1/2 large yellow or Maui onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken stock + extra
1/4 c heavy cream
2 tbs greek yogurt
1/2 c grated pecorino romano or parmigiano cheese + more for serving
freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the bacon (about 4 thick slices or 5 regular strips) until crisp. Drain well; crumble or chop, and set aside.

2. Melt 1 tbs butter and a little olive oil – about one turn of the pan – in a large saucepan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until soft and translucent (add the garlic about halfway through). Stir in the leeks.

3. Add the chicken stock and the reserved braising liquid from the leeks. Cook over medium-low until mixture has thickened and most of the stock has cooked off, about 15-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions and drain well, reserving a ladleful of the pasta water.

4. Back to the pan…add the cream and the Greek yogurt, stirring well. Cook for another couple of minutes until incorporated.

5. Toss sauce with the hot pasta, the romano cheese, and the bacon. Add a few splashes of chicken stock or pasta water to thin if necessary. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

6. Serve immediately with additional grated cheese.

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