Savory Corn and Chard Porridge

Try this flavorful dish for a unique way to sneak vegetables into your breakfast. Use mustard greens or spinach if chard is not available where you live. Serves 4.

• 4 large ears of corn

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup whole or reduced fat milk

• 1-1/2 cups chard, chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

To Prepare:

Using a cheese grater, coarsely grate the kernels off of 2 ears of corn into a large bowl to create a pulp. Using a knife, remove the kernels off of the other 2 ears and add to the bowl with grated corn.

In a large pot, sauté onion in oil on medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the corn mixture and water to the pot and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk, chard, salt, and white pepper, and cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot, topped with red pepper flakes and black pepper.

Bay Nut Mole Negro

Most mole recipes leave me feeling overwhelmed and in a too-many-ingredients comatose. This one, although it does take about 2 hours to prepare, it a lot more approachable and some of that time is inactive, which means you can spend it on your other side dishes. Yes, this recipe is likely not as complex as others you may find, but even just with two chiles and some other key ingredients, you can create a delicious and robust mole negro. 

“As bay nuts do not contain sugar or cinnamon, I added a little of each. If you don’t have bay nuts, replace them with mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra) and skip the brown sugar and cinnamon. ”

Also unique to this mole is that instead of the traditional chocolate, I chose to use bay nuts. Bay nuts are a foraged find from the bay laurel tree (more on bay nuts and foraging here). The bay nut is a member of the avocado family that, when roasted, becomes akin to a combination of chocolate and coffee - ideal for mole. Recipe serves 6.

• 2.5 pounds skinless chicken thighs and/or legs

• ~1-2 teaspoons salt

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed (or other neutral flavored oil), divided

• 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth

• Juice and zest from 2 blood oranges

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1/4 cup almonds, chopped

• 3 large garlic cloves, diced

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds

• 1.5 ounces dried pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into strips

• 0.5 ounces dried negro chiles, stemmed, seeded, torn into strips

• 3 prunes, chopped

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 ounces roasted bay nuts, chopped (mexican chocolate can be substituted for bay nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon)

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• Chopped fresh cilantro, queso fresco, avocado, and corn tortillas (to serve)

Rub chicken all over with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large pot (I use my large Le Creuset pot) over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. 

Add broth, blood orange juice, and cinnamon sticks then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until chicken is tender and just cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add almonds, cumin, coriander, and chiles. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook while stirring until chiles soften, about 4 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer chicken from pot to large bowl. Pour chicken cooking liquid into saucepan with onion-chile mixture (reserve pot). Add blood orange zest, prunes, oregano, bay nuts, and brown sugar to saucepan. Cover and simmer until chiles are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and discard.

Transfer sauce mixture to food processor or blender and purée until smooth; return to reserved pot. Season sauce to taste with salt. Coarsely shred chicken and return to sauce; stir to coat and re-heat chicken. 

Serve topped with cilantro springs, avocado, corn tortillas, and queso fresco (if desired).

Pair with: Vinegary red cabbage slaw (the vinegar is a great contrast to the dark, rich mole), roasted delicata or butternut squash.

Buttermilk Cornbread

Show me a person who doesn't like cornbread and I'll show you someone that can't be trusted.

Cornbread is really a quickbread, in the same category as your banana and zucchini breads, as it is leavened with baking soda rather than yeast. The use of cornmeal in addition to all-purpose flour gives it the pleasantly grainy quality that we all associate with cornbread. This recipe uses buttermilk or yogurt to give it a delicious tart quality that melds well with the rustic corn. 

One of the aspects of cornbread that I personally appreciate is that it can be enjoyed as a savory side dish or a sweet snack, with the addition of butter and honey. Pro-tip: Leftover cornbread + honey + butter + coffee the next morning = a great way to wake up. Makes 9-12 pieces.

“Fun recipe adaptations include adding chopped onions, herbs such as parsley or cilantro, and/or fresh corn kernels off of the cob in the summer time.”

• 1-1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (medium grind preferred)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2eggs

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1-1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400, butter an 8-inch square baking dish (or loaf, cake pan, or muffin tins).

In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, brown sugar, and yogurt

Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Stir in melted butter. Pour batter into prepared baking dish

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.