Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and the zest of two lemons in a food processor and whir until zest pieces are miniscule. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice (about three lemons) and whir again until sugar is dissolved. Empty into a mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 cups half & half, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix with a stick blender until smooth. With a wooden spoon, mix in 1/4 cup poppy seeds. Chill for at least an hour, preferably a few.

Churn. Near the end of the churning, add more poppy seeds if you want 'em, or 3/4 cup broken up shortbread bits. Freeze for at least two hours, preferably many more if you can wait that long.

Adapted from David Lebovitz' Super Lemon Ice Cream recipe in his ice cream cookbook, The Perfect Scoop.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble

This one's pretty simple. In a skillet, heat 2 cups of sliced rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1/8 tsp vanilla extract. Cook 5-7 minutes, until rhubarb is soft, but don't go too long or else it will fall apart into mush. Add 1 cup sliced strawberries.

Divide into 4 dessert bowls. Top with toasted almonds and greek yogurt.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

Easier than my Asian Cabbage Salad, but also very tasty, this slaw is a Kalkman classic. If you're looking for a vegetarian option for the seasoning, try "Better Than Boullion No Chicken Base" as a substitute for the Ramen flavor packets. Use two teaspoons for each packet.

Ingredients
1 pkg. "rainbow" broccoli slaw
A few handfuls of sliced almonds
A few handfuls of sunflower seeds
4-5 scallions, cut with scissors
1 pkg. Ramen
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar

Directions
Mix slaw, almonds, sunflower seeds and scallions. Crush Ramen noodles and add, dry. Mix dressing ingredients -- oil, vinegar, sugar, seasoning -- and pour over salad. Prepare a few hours ahead of time for softer noodles.

Serves 4.

Curried Red Lentil Burgers

Another fab recipe from the Moosewood cookbook series. I've told Sky that my 2012 birthday wish is to visit the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca. I've told him we can celebrate that birthday anytime.

Ingredients
1 c. dried red lentils
2 c. water
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 c. onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. celery, diced
1 c. red bell peppers, diced
1 tbsp. ginger root, peeled and grated
1 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 c. cooked brown basmati rice
3/4 c. toasted cashews or peanuts, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions
Cook brown rice and set aside. Rinse and drain the lentils. Put them in a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add tumeric and 1/2 tsp. of the salt, reduce heat to low, and cover, simmering for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are very soft and the water has been absorbed. If there is liquid left, drain before adding to burger mixture.

Meanwhile, cook onions and garlic in olive oil until softened. Stir in celery and red pepper, and continue to cook for five to seven minutes. Add ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, remaining salt, and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Mix with rice and lentils. Add nuts, lemon juice, cilantro and mix well.

When the burger mixture is cool enough to handle, shape into patties using about a 1/2 cup of mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Excellent served with a fruit chutney and Greek yogurt. Makes six patties.

Fried Plantains

Based on Alton Brown's recipe. Buy plantains that are mostly green with some black spots. The more black, the softer and sweeter the plantain. This recipe is not for sweet plantains, but there are others that are meant to highlight the sweetness.

Cut the ends off each plantain, score the skin lengthwise and peel off the skin. Cut into one-inch segments. Heat about 1/3-inch of oil to medium-low in a pan (enough to cover the plantains half way when the pan is full.) Fry about 90 seconds on each end -- the entire outside should turn a deep yellow, but not brown -- then remove to paper towel.

Turn oil up to medium-high. With a flat spatula or bottom of solid glass, smoosh each piece into a disc (do this on a cutting board, so that the discs don't pick up pieces of paper towel.) Fry again, flipping half way through, for a total of 2-4 minutes. Should brown a bit and be very crispy on the outside. Remove to paper towel and salt immediately.

Each plantain makes about 8 chips.

Crema de Guacamole with Crunchy Topopos

Note that this recipe probably serves 10 people. I'd halve it, for sure. Nice summer soup that's actually a bit creamy.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately lower to a simmer for five minutes:

• 12 small tomatillos, husked and stemmed
• 3 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups vegetable stock

Carefully puree with a stick blender. Let cool for 30 minute and add 1/4 cup lime juice (key limes > regular limes > bottled lime juice). Strain to remove all solids, especially tomatillo seeds. Cool for at least two hours.

To make the topopos, heat 1/4 cup (two sticks) clarified butter and add a single layer of thin strips of corn tortillas. Toss a few times with tongs until strips are golden, maybe 2-3 minutes total. Remove, placing on towel, and add salt and a squeez of lime juice. Add until 12 corn tortillas have been used.

When finally preparing the soup to consume, mush together 4 ripe avocados, 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/2 lime. Then combine with stock mixture using stick blender.

Serve topped with fresh cilantro, the topopos, fresh salsa and/or crema (apparently this is something resembling watered-down sour cream -- you don't really need this with the creaminess of the avocado, though.)

Vegetable Stock

Freeze any leftover vegetable bits, such as the green tops of leeks, onion peels and ends, carrot ends, wilted vegetables, mushroom stems, broccoli stems, cauliflower stems, herb leftovers (stems, wilted herbs, the stuff you were too impatient to pull off the stems) etc. Make sure the stock has plenty of aromatics (onions, celery, carrots) in addition to whatever other random crap you use. And be wary of the cabbage family -- too much gets stinky.

When making stock, dice vegetables and do 2 parts water to 1 part veggies. Some sites suggest browning in an oven or a pot before adding water. Simmer for about an hour -- too long as flavor will be lost. Strain out big pieces and then strain. Use soon or freeze (ice cube trays work well if reducing stock -- just add water to get back to appropriate intensity.

Other tips:

One recipe suggested adding dried mushrooms and soy sauce for a deeper flavor. Another mentioned that mushrooms are the key here as they add a ton of flavor (surprisingly). Starting with cold water makes sure veggies with different ideal solubility temperatures share all their nutrients and flavors. Taste as the stock simmers, as the flavor will change. Add a bit of salt, but you can always add more to whatever you use the stock to make. And the NYT recommends a pressure cooker.

Curried Tofu Scramble

This recipe is from a book that I think we'll be buying: Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson. She writes the vegetarian blog 101 Cookbooks and has another cookbook out, Super Natural Every Day.

Per usual, I didn't exactly follow the recipe, probably skewing the ratios and cutting down the amount to a single-ish serving. But here's the original:

1 lb extra-firm tofu, dried and crumbled

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp curry powder

3 big handfuls spinach, stems removed

salt

Sautee the garlic and onion in oil for a few minutes to soften. Stir in curry powder, then tofu. Cook for a few minutes until tofu thoroughly heated. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in salt, tasting and repeating until the flavor really pops.

I went light on the onion and added some jalapeno and sweet red pepper, too.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

8 lg. poblano chiles

Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for garnish

Cilantro, for garnish

For the veggie chorizo:

1 pkg. vegetarian "soysage" patties, baked according to package, patties halved

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp. cider vinegar

1-1/2 tsp. chili powder

1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. coarsley ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne, or to taste

For the black beans & corn:

Cooking spray

1 tbsp. corn or canola oil

3/4 onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. cumin seeds

1-15 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 c. corn kernels

2 tbsp. water

1-1/2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. sauce from canned chipotles in adobo sauce

1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper, freshly ground

Directions

First, prepare the peppers. Cut the peppers right down the middle, through the stem. Trim any white membrane and remove seeds. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and add 2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil to pool in the bottom of the skillet. Let the peppers sear for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove peppers from the oil. Immediately drain on paper towels, wiping to remove excess oil. If weather appropriate, feel free to grill the pepper halves instead. You're only cooking them a bit, to remove the bitter flavor.

Next, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the soysage patties with the garlic, 1/4 onion, the vinegar, chili powder, ground cumin, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor and pulse to make a thick, chunky paste. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Spray a 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the 3/4 onion and saute until the onion softens, about five minutes. Add the cumin seeds and saute for another 2 minutes. Stir in the beans, corn, water, tomato paste, adono sauce and oregano. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring, until all ingredients are hot and starting to stick to the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape into the soysage mixture and stir to combine. Taste, adding salt and pepper, if necessary.

Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Carefully stuff an equal portion of the mixture into each of the prepared poblanos, gently opening them at the slit and mounding the stuffing over it. Gently place the chiles into the prepared baking dish and bake until good and hot, 6 to 8 minutes. Place two chiles on each serving plate and top with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a sprig of cilantro. Servies 4 as an entree.

Spring Lemon Creme

My take on Ina's Lemon Fusilli with Arugula, this pasta dish is light-tasting, despite the cream. Best with spring's earliest vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, and greens.

Ingredients
1 lb. pasta
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. shallots, minced
2 c. heavy cream
3 lemons
A few splashes of dry white wine
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 bunch of asparagus
1/2 lb. baby arugula
1/2 c. pecorino romano, freshly grated
1 pint grape tomatoes

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and shallots, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from two lemons, the juice from two lemons, the white wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 2o minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Blanch in a pot of boiling water for 2 to 4 minutes, just until tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Cook and drain the pasta. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook over medium-low heat for three minutes, until most of the sauce is absorbed into the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a bowl, add the arugula, pecorino, tomatoes and broccoli or asparagus. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick and add to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste and serve hot.

Serves 4.