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Avocado

Appetizers, Cheese, Dinner, Kimchi, Korean, Mexican, Recipes, Vegetarian

Kimchi Quesadillas

January 6, 2024

Mexican food is one of the most beloved cuisines in the world and for good reason. The wide variety of distinctive flavors used in Mexican cuisine create bold, flavorful dishes. This hybrid Mexican-Korean quesadilla is a tasty way to use some of your homemade kimchi. The fiery flavor of the kimchi combined with melted cheese in a warmed flour tortilla is delicious.

I try to keep a jar of homemade kimchi in the refrigerator at all times. There are so many dishes I love to use it in. Noodles, soup, kimchi & Spam fried rice make tasty meals.

Pan frying the kimchi in a dab of butter will help to decrease the liquid a bit.

Layer the ingredients then fold the tortilla over. It’s so easy to prepare and with minimal ingredients, this quesadilla is the perfect party appetizer. Prepare the quesadillas a few hours in advance and store in the refrigerator. Just before your guests arrive heat up your skillet and pan fry the quesadillas.

Allow some of the cheese to spill out into the pan. This creates the most delicious crispy-edged quesadilla.

Serve with crispy cabbage slaw or your favorite side dishes such as Mexican rice and refried beans. If you have leftovers, serve them for breakfast or brunch the following day along with fried or scrambled eggs.

Kimchi Quesadillas

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

  • 4 medium flour tortillas (7-inch, I use cooked Tortilla Land flour tortillas)

  • 1 cup kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or regular butter

  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar, coarsely grated (about 1 1/4 cup)

  • 2 tablespoons diced onion

  • 1 medium avocado, sliced thinly into 16 pieces

  • 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil

  • 1/4 cup Green Valley lactose free sour cream or regular sour cream

  • 2 teaspoons sriracha

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro

Directions

  • Heat butter in a medium pan (large enough to accommodate two folded tortillas) over medium heat. Add chopped kimchi and sauté just until there is no kimchi liquid left, about 2 minutes. Transfer kimchi to a small plate. Wipe pan clean.
  • Combine sour cream, sriracha and cilantro in a small bowl, set aside.
  • Evenly divide cheese onto one side of each tortilla. Top with onions, kimchi, and avocado. Fold the tortilla over and press very gently.
  • Heat a teaspoon of canola or vegetable oil in the pan over medium heat. Once hot, transfer two of the folded tortillas to the pan. Cook until nicely browned, allowing some of the cheese to spill out into the pan. You can also scatter a bit of cheese around the open edges of the tortillas to form a crispy edge. Flip and cook the other side. Transfer the tortillas to a plate and cover with foil while you cook the remaining two tortillas (heat another teaspoon of oil before adding tortillas to pan).
  • Slice each tortilla into three pieces. Serve with a dollop of sour cream sriracha sauce on each slice.
Beans, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Vegetarian

Vegetarian Chili with Fritos

November 13, 2023

A hot bowl of vegetarian chili on a cool fall evening can be an ever so satisfying meal. Chipotles in adobo take this recipe to another level. They add a smoky flavor and just the right amount of heat. Salty, crunchy Fritos piled on top are the proverbial icing on the cake.

All of the ingredients are easily found at your local market. I love celery so I added a bit to the chili. You can make this your own by adding other vegetables such as corn, peppers, carrots, and other types of beans. But don’t leave out the chipotles in adobo. They are essential for giving the chili a pleasant, smoky flavor. A little goes a long way. Freeze the leftover chiles in small containers or mini freezer bags for future use.

The onions, celery, and cilantro stems are sautéed for a bit before the other ingredients are added.

A tomato paste mixture is added to the onions and cooked until it turns a brick red color. It smells delightful with the chipotle peppers mixed in.

The chili is simmered for 35 minutes until reduced slightly.

Top the chili with your choice of diced avocado and onions, sour cream, Fritos, cilantro, and dig in.

Vegetarian Chili with Fritos

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4-6

servings

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

  • 1 large white onion (about 2 cups) diced (reserve 2 tablespoons for serving)

  • 1/2 cup diced celery

  • 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup) and stems finely chopped (about 1/4 cup, keep separate from leaves), cover and refrigerated cilantro leaves

  • 1 seeded chipotle in adobo, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, finely chopped (transfer to a small bowl)

  • 1/4 cup tomato paste (transfer to a small bowl)

  • 2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons mild chili powder (I used ancho chili powder)

  • 1 28-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1 1/4 teaspoons Morton kosher salt

  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

  • 1 1/2 cups Fritos or other salty tortilla chips

  • 1 lime, cut in half with one of the halves cut into wedges

  • 1 avocado, diced

  • 1/2 cup lactose free sour cream or regular sour cream

  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • Mix together the chipotle chiles in adobo with tomato paste. (If you prefer milder heat, reserve 1/4 of the chiles for adding in later if more heat is needed).
  • Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, cilantro stems, and 2 teaspoons chili powder and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is starting to soften, 5-6 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add tomato paste mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until brick red and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the fire roasted tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are cooked down and slightly darker in color, 8-10 minutes.
  • Add beans, 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1 1/4 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, and 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chili has reduced slightly and flavors have melded, 30-35 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Stir in juice from reserved 1/2 lime.
  • Divide chili among bowls. Top with sour cream, avocado, reserved cilantro leaves, chopped onion, and Fritos. Season with pepper and serve with reserved lime wedges.
Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Summertime Meal, Vegetarian, Veggies

Wedge Salad with Sour Cream Dressing

September 11, 2022

There’s nothing like biting into a crispy iceberg lettuce salad. Cutting it into wedges intensifies that desirable crisp factor. This wedge salad with sour cream dressing reminds me of summer, however, by all means make it all year long.

When shopping for iceberg lettuce I try to select one that is not too heavy. My thought is that a medium to light weight head of iceberg has more of those delightful wavy interiors between each leaf and that means extra crispy. If the lettuce is heavy the leaves tend to be very compact (like cabbage) and I find that indicates denser lettuce with less crunch.

Avocado adds a bit of richness to this wedge salad and radishes add color and more crunch. Slicing the radishes in thin rounds and soaking them in an ice water bath transforms them into radish chips. The dressing for this salad can be made in a jiffy. You can even make it a day in advance if you prefer. Bon appetit!

Wedge Salad with Sour Cream Dressing

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4

servings

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sour cream (I use Green Valley lactose free)

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (microplane works great)

  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more for serving

  • 1 head iceberg lettuce (about 1 pound)

  • 2 small avocados, halved and diced (large dice)

  • 2 medium radishes, sliced very thin, chilled in ice water bath for 5 minutes (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons minced chives

Directions

  • Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Dressing can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill.
  • Trim root end of lettuce; discard any wilted outer leaves. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then cut each quarter into 3-inch pieces being careful not to separate the wedges into leaves. Transfer to a large platter. Tuck avocado pieces and radish slices if using, among the lettuce.
  • Spoon half of the dressing over the salad and top with chives; season with pepper. Serve with remaining dressing alongside.
Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes, Soups

Chicken Tortilla Soup

March 27, 2020

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spending time in the kitchen whether chopping vegetables, baking, or cleaning up, means more to me than ever before. It’s the best therapeutic respite from all of the terrible news that we are confronted with these days.  Cooking gives me a break from the stress.  Making tortilla soup fits the bill for a perfect meal that is a breeze to prepare and it tastes so good.  A warm bowl of soup is always so comforting.

Tortilla Soup Ingredients

Poblano Pepper, Onion & Garlic

White Corn Tortillas

Sometimes we don’t use all of the corn tortillas we buy so we freeze them to use later. This is a perfect way to use them up.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper & Garlic

I love that everything goes into one pot.  Sautéed onion, garlic and a poblano pepper makes the house smell so good, especially when the onions start to brown.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper & Garlic

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes

Diced tomatoes are added along with chopped corn tortillas.  It may be hard to imagine how this might turn in to a glorious soup but I assure you it will.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes & Corn Tortillas

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Chicken Stock & Broth

I use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  It may look a bit plain, but once you add toppings it turns into a beautiful bowl of soup full of color and flavor.  Once pureed, roasted chicken breast that has been shredded is added to the soup.

Tortilla Soup

Crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, lime and cilantro (only for those cilantro lovers) are perfect toppings.  The poblano pepper adds a mild heat to the soup but for those who like it hot, a dash or two of your favorite Mexican-style hot sauce adds a bit of zing along with a squeeze of lime juice.  You could leave out the avocado and cilantro, but the crushed tortilla chips are a must.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
 
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular butter)
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 medium poblano pepper, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (mild)
  • 6 white corn tortillas (6-inch) cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 32 ounce carton chicken stock (I use Swanson)
  • 32 ounce carton low sodium chicken broth (I use Swanson)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
  • 3 cups coarsely shredded roasted chicken breast (I use Costco roasted chicken and shred the breast meat)
  • Toppings:
  • crushed tortilla chips
  • diced avocado
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges
Preparation
  1. Combine olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and poblano pepper. Sauté until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes and tortillas and stir to combine with other ingredients for a minute or two.
  3. Add chili powder and cumin, stirring to coat the vegetables.
  4. Add chicken broth, chicken stock and salt to the pot, stirring to mix the soup. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes on med-low heat until the soup thickens slightly.
  5. Remove pot from burner. Using an immersion blender on low speed (so the soup doesn't splatter) puree the soup until it is smooth. Add the chicken to the soup.
  6. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro and lime.

 

Dinner, Fish, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sauces

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

August 28, 2017

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

Finding good fresh ahi tuna has been a hit and miss endeavor until I discovered Oki’s Fish Market in the Kahului Foodland market. They always seem to have the freshest fish on a regular basis. So whenever I’m in the area, I’ll stop by to pick up a nice piece of ahi for dinner.  This Tyler Florence recipe caught my attention for a few reasons.  It’s quick, tasty, and uses lots of cilantro and avocado, two of my favorite ingredients.  Now those of you who are cringing about cilantro, don’t give up yet.  You could certainly switch out the cilantro and substitute it with a smaller amount of chives or parsley.

Ahi tuna steaks

I cut the ahi into 1-inch thick steaks but you could certainly cut yours thicker if you prefer to.

Lime, Jalapeno, Cilantro

The original recipe says to use the juice of two limes however that can mean 2 tablespoons or up to 4 tablespoons in my case.  So try the 2 1/2 tablespoons noted in the recipe first, then add more if you want to.

Avocado

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

Sometimes I serve steamed bok choy with the ahi, and other times a green salad or baked sweet potatoes and broccoli.  I always have a pot of Japanese white rice to go along with this dish.

If you prefer a little spicier sauce, use a jalapeño instead of the Fresno pepper.  I like the burst of red color from the Fresno however I have seen red jalapeños in the markets on occasion.

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime
 
Adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 Fresno pepper, thinly sliced (or ½ jalapeño)
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 ahi (tuna) steaks, about 6 ounces each
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small or 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, cut into small chunks
Preparation
  1. Combine the cilantro, Fresno pepper slices, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small bowl. Stir ingredients until well incorporated. Set aside while you prepare the ahi.
  2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season ahi steaks generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Sear ahi for about 1 minute on each side to form a light crust. The cooking time will depend on how thick your ahi is cut, and whether you prefer your fish to be medium-rare or more well done. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the sauce over the ahi steaks to coat the fish (once you start searing on side #2). Transfer the ahi to a platter. Top with avocado and drizzle remaining sauce over the fish.

 

Appetizers, Dinner, Fish, Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes

Tuna Tartare with Avocado & Radish

June 17, 2016

Tuna Tartare with Avocado & Radish

Over the years, we have enjoyed many different versions of tuna tartare.  The best have been at favorite restaurants (those from Plouf in San Francisco and BLT in Honolulu come to mind).  However, with this recipe, we are making a version at home which rivals or even surpasses our previous favorites.  It’s hard not to love this tuna tartare.  There’s something about the rich and creamy avocado, silky fish, and delightful ponzu-like dressing.  It all goes together so very well.  And, it’s really the perfect summer meal for a warm day when cooking over the stove or turning on the oven just seems out of the question.  This dish relies on using the best quality sashimi grade tuna. Fresh, well chilled, and cut just this morning type-of-tuna from a reliable source is what you are looking for.  I can’t wait to make it again.

Sashimi Grade Ahi (yellowfin tuna)

Though I usually pay a dear price for the tuna at Whole Foods, I find the quality to be superb.  I always ask the staff at the counter whether the fish was cut that morning.  If it has been sitting around for more than a day, I skip it, and try again the following week. I find it most satisfying when the fish is very well chilled before serving.  Keep the fish in the refrigerator until you are ready to plate and serve the tartare.

Radish

I didn’t eat radishes when I was a child, except for the long and slender daikon variety that is commonly used to make Japanese pickled takuan.  These days I enjoy these pretty red radishes in salads as well as in this ahi tartare preparation.  The secret is to slice them ever so thinly and soak them in an ice water bath for a half hour to really crisp them up.

Chili Oil

Tuna Tartare with Avocado & Radish + Taro Chips

Serve the tartare with taro chips as an appetizer or as an entrée with rice and a side of crispy vegetable tempura.

Tuna Tartare with Rice & Vegetable Tempura

Tuna Tartare with Avocado & Radish
 
A lovely appetizer for a warm summer evening. Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine.
Author:
Serves: 4 as an appetizer
Ingredients
  • Dressing:
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from two small or one large lime)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
  • Tuna:
  • 10 ounces sashimi grade tuna, very finely diced and well chilled
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon minced seeded serrano chile
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallot
  • kosher salt
  • 1 large avocado, halved, pitted and finely diced
  • 2 radishes very thinly sliced, chilled in an ice water bath for 30 minutes
  • chili oil
Preparation
  1. Combine lime zest, lime juice, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil (this will happen in no time at all). Transfer liquid to a small glass bowl, cover and let cool completely. Strain cooled liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger. The dressing can be made 2 days in advance. Cover and chill.
  2. Toss tuna with 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium bowl. Add chile and shallot, season lightly with salt.
  3. Mix diced avocado with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt.
  4. To assemble the tuna tartare, you may use a round mold or gently shape the avocado with your hands as I do, onto a serving platter. Arrange tuna over the avocado keeping a circular shape. Spoon some of dressing over the tuna and around the avocado. Top with radish slices and more dressing. Drizzle with chili oil. Serve right away.

 

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