smoke-roasted stuffed bell peppers

yup, lets go back in time. a lot is getting ready to come at you so let’s get ready to rumble.
secretly, this wasn’t the recipe that i wanted to make that night (hopefully, that recipe will come in the upcoming week or so) but unfortunately, only the “broil” buttons on our oven were actually working at this point, so this is what was decidedly made. not saying that I was not excited to make this because believe you me, i was thrilled. i mean, look at the pictures.

this recipe was adapted from the wonderful Deb of smitten kitchen and i made a few changes to my taste buds here and there.

Ingredients
2 medium red bell peppers3 medium mixed bell peppers (orange, yellow, green)..I think I only used 1 bell pepper because i was only feeding me!)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (Or regular salt)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped (i may have not included this either…but is up to you)
2 cloves garlic, minced (yeahh, I didn’t use this)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 medium fresh or frozen corn kernels (I actually used canned which worked well for me!)
1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as parley, oregano, basil or a mix)* Again, I believe this is optional
2 tablespoons grates Parmesan cheese (optional)* Instead, I used feta on top and it was DELICIOUS

Directions
1 ) Halve two large bell peppers and remove the seeds.
2) Either pre-heat your broiler on medium OR turn on your grill :-)
2) Dice in to small pieces: 1/2 of zucchini, 1/2 squash, 1 small bell pepper, 1 medium.
3) Add diced vegetables to halved bell peppers
4) Add 1/4 cup of corn to each halved bell pepper
5) Add two tablespoons of black beans to each halved bell pepper
6) Top with feta, herbs and butter; season with salt and pepper
7) Broil for about 15-20 minutes or grill for 20-30 minutes.
8) Enjoy and Share!

Additional Notes: Although Deb’s recipe has really intense details on how to get this intense “smoky” flavor in the stuffed bell peppers, I really just don’t have time for all of that. i am sure that makes it that much more delicious but my recipe was really good, super quick and very filling. You can really add or minus to your liking but i would stick with the squash, tomatoes, corn and some sort of cheese.
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/08/napa-wrapper/

Lariol Plaza

god i am so behind. it is not even funny. i have about 20 billion posts to write…its been a busy few weeks for BOOF dining with buddies as summer 2010 sets in.

best buddies of BOOF who were previously featured in the trip to Zaytinya were back for our last gathering in this great city together before we all set off for the next adventures in our lives. it’s been a great year and it has gone too fast but it is funny how these things work out. who would have thought that we not only would remain so close after meeting on another continent but then we would end up in the same city. i miss this already.

it has been a long time coming since my last trip to lauriol and i honestly think that i have been craving it since then. there have been ample opportunities for me to get to go to lauriol since but it has never seemed to work out, so when were looking for somewhere to enjoy our last dc dinner, it was only natural that i through out the idea of lauriol and everyone was excited. i mean what is summer without a swirl margarita?

lauriol is located on the dupont circle/adams morgan border in a seemingly quieter part of both dupont and adams morgan. lauriol is known for their great space but also very very very busy dinner hours. it is a HUGE restaurant which is necessary as they always have a wait after 6:30 on any given evening. It has a very modern flair and we opted to sit outside on this warm early summer evening, but their outdoor seating is wonderful because it 1) is covered (barring the numerous impromptu sun showers) and 2) has ceiling fans to take away some of the DC humidity.

first things first we started off with a pitcher of swirl margaritas (1/2 strawberry 1/2 regular) which never disappoints. we also munched on some complementary chips and salsa which is a typical and delicious staple of any mexican restaurant.

onto the entrees. hugdoll ordered the brazilian salad which consisted of Grilled marinated chicken, spinach, avocodas, palmittos, other regular salad veggies, zucchini, olives and topped with an olive oil vinaigrette. She enjoyed it, thought the chicken was cooked well and enjoyed the variety of vegetables other than the typical salad staples that it included.

kb ordered the spinach quesadillas which also looked delicious. by ordering the regular size, she had a plateful of deliciousness with a super reasonable price tag. she enjoyed the flavor of the quesadillas and although there was nothing special about them, they did the trick.




sio ordered the cheese enchilladas and she thoroughly enjoyed those as well. They were filled with Monterrey jack cheese and topped with a chile ancho sauce and served with rice and frijoles a la charra. another mexican staple done well with good taste and seasoning but nothing too special.




i ordered my typical mexican meal in the veggie fajitas. i really enjoyed this because they had a real variety of veggies which is a nice departure from the typical onions and peppers. They included other veggies such as zucchini, carrots, eggplant and the winner of the evening, plantains. that definitely put these veggie fajitas on the map because the plantains added such a nice sweet taste to the typical salt and pepper seasonings that are standard in a meal such as that. surprisingly delicious.

all in all, a trip to lauriol never disappoints. although the food is nothing too special and mind blowing, it is well done cheap mexican. i believe that they could make their flavors a little more complex and could add a “kick” to their meals. but i guess you get what you pay for. furthermore, the ambiance is great and the swirl margaritas are always delicious. i recommend getting there as early as possible or even maybe going for lunch. if you wanted to get seated in a timely manner on an evening after 6pm, lauriol is definitely not your place. furthermore, they do not take reservations so although it is an ideal location for a large group, this can be very difficult because you are not sure when you will get a table. you could be waiting for a very very very long time but they will supply you with an endless supply of chips and salsa while you wait…and clearly, a drink if you so desire.

Overall Grade: B+ (ambiance/service/restaurant)/ C+ (food)

Stir-Fried Tofu with Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas and Onions

you are probably all like “why is she eating so many sugar snap peas”? because they are uber delicious, that’s why. well really, it’s because i found two fantastic recipes that used them and they are quite delicious, so I thought why not? I should cook them before they go bad anyways!
so i took to epicurious again for this absolutely spectacular recipe. the recipe is super easy but it does take some time (marinating tofu), and I do believe that shockingly as a vegetarian, this was my first successful attempt at making tofu. POINT, me.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil *Substituted with olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 12-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered* I just used regular white mushrooms
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger* I mean, i just don’t keep ginger in the house…
4 green onions, sliced on diagonal* I just used 1 regular yellow

Directions
1) Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add tofu and stir to coat; let marinate 30 minutes.
2) Drain, reserving marinade in small bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch into marinade.
3) Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to plate.
4) Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet and add mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes.
5) Add sugar snap peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Then add onions and garlic and stir-fry about 30 seconds.
6) Add tofu back to skillet and drizzle reserved marinade mixture over.
7) Stir-fry until marinade thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.8) Enjoy and Share! :-)

Additional notes: the actual epicurious recipe calls for green onions and ginger but I didn’t have any of those in the house, so I just used what was at my disposal. Remember to buy EXTRA-FIRM tofu because on my last tofu attempt a long time ago, i didn’t buy the extra firm and then my recipe was a disaster. Hence, I have not cooked it since. But, extrafirm= wonderous. oh by the way, this recipe is SUPER delicious. SUPER.

Recipe adapted from:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Stir-Fried-Tofu-with-Mushrooms-Sugar-Snap-Peas-and-Green-Onions-109075#ixzz0pTf3SPyS

Couscous with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, Chickpeas, Cherry Tomatoes and Feta

so this wasn’t completely off the book but i made some changes to make this nice little Epicurious gem into my own. let’s be serious, i made the changes to use what i actually had on hand and make sure that it was protein-filled deliciousness. in my previous couscous veggieventure, i mentioned was how easy it was and that was also appealing about this recipe. i find that couscous can go well with pretty much anything and if you need some meat in your entree, i recommend making this couscous+veggie as a side to your meat entree (chicken, steak…whatever you prefer).


Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, minced, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous (6 to 7 ounces) *I just used the regular whole wheat couscous from TJ’s
1 3/4 cups (or more) vegetable broth * I just boiled my couscous in water
14 ounces slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup shelled fresh green peas or frozen, thawed * I used 1 can of garbanzo beans instead
3/4 cup of halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives * I omitted b/c I didn’t have them on hand
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese * omitted because i didn’t have it on hand— don’t really think it was also necessary BUT I added 1/2 cup of feta instead
Directions
1) Cook couscous according to directions on package
2) Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, and lemon peel in small bowl; set dressing aside.
3) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, and remaining garlic clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl with dressing.
4) Add garbanzo beans to the bowl and then add couscous to bowl with vegetables.
5) Add feta to the mix and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
6) Enjoy and Share!!! :-)

Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Beans

Wow. I was too excited for this. When I found pre-made Gnocchi at Safeway last week, I was so happy. So unbelievably happy. That delicious potato pasta that you see in Italian restaurants was finally going to grace my kitchen. Not really knowing what to do with it besides a simple tomato sauce, I got to searching on epicurious and found this doable, simple and delicious looking recipe. With some minor modifications (the recipe originally called for peas and not beans), I was on my way.



Ingredients
1 cup frozen baby peas (not thawed)— Or 1 Can of White Cannelli Beans

1/2 cup heavy cream (i used whipping b/c that is what we had in the fridge!)

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

1 garlic clove, smashed

3 cups packed baby spinach (3 ounces)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 pound dried gnocchi (preferably De Cecco)

1/4 cup grated parmesan (I used a some mozzarella— no Parmesan in the house!)

Directions
1 ) Simmer peas (beans) with cream, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain gnocchi.


3) Add spinach to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice.

4) Add gnocchi to sauce with cheese and some of reserved cooking water and stir to coat. Thin with additional cooking water if necessary.

5) Enjoy and Share! :-)









Additional Notes: As previously mentioned, I wanted to ensure that I was going to get my daily protein, so I substituted the peas for the beans and I really enjoyed that (i also didn’t have the peas :-D ). I also added some mozzarella instead of parmesan which I think helped make it a little thicker, but I think both would be equally delicious. I’m a little obsessed with this recipe and I think you will love it too.
VIA http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Gnocchi-with-Spinach-and-Peas-240959#ixzz0p6IFKTvj

Maine Avenue Seafood Market

so although you have only really seen me engulf masses of vegetarian delights through this blog, i am in fact a…PESCATARIAN! shocker, i know. i could never give up seafood, it is really in my heart. i come from a family who believes in seafood of all sorts, so i knew that i could give up everything else but seafood…never. and i am so happy that i didn’t.

this brings me to last weekend’s BOOF adventure to the MAINE AVENUE SEAFOOD MARKET. i have been to the seafood market a couple of times before but buddies of BOOF, cc, tr, kh, and cc(yes, there are two) decided that we adventure down to this DC staple on a saturday afternoon for lunch.

the market is located on the SW waterfront off of Maine Avenue sitting across from Haines Point. It is a picture perfect spot on the water to watch some yachts go by (or convince someone to let you go on theirs!).

the girls and i opted to order the crab cake lunch from “The Wharf” and the crab cakes were very tasty. the lunch time special was served with two sides and a fountain drink so I opted for the macaroni and cheese and the green beans. the mac and cheese was quite good but the green beans tasted as though they were canned aka not good at all. a few of the girls had the corn on the cob and they all remarked on how good it was. I personally think that was in large part because they cooked it in the husk (try ittttt) which traps the flavors in and gives it a delicious bite.

all in all, i love the seafood market and i am sure that unless you don’t like seafood (which is so unfortunate), you will love it too. you can find me frequenting this summer. :-)

there are also restaurants on the SW waterfront but i definitely recommend to bypass the restaurants and just go to the market.

Overall Grade: A-

the biggest minus i have for the seafood market is its lack of seating. there is some standing tables but really, with that seafood, you just want to kickback, enjoy the day and watch the boats ride by. I do think they are building more seating…so we’ll see.

Elephant Castle and Pub

nothing special.
for good buddy of BOOF, rp’s birthday, a large group of us set out to surprise him at elephant and castle for the occasion. he was suprised but unfortunately, the surprise itself was a little less than stellar. nevertheless, it was a great evening with a bunch of buddies that i see too little of.
elephant and castle is a well known chain restaurant and offers a classic restaurant/pub feel and vibe to it. it is not really a place to go to eat a good meal but rather it’s a place you go to either drink or just enjoy the company of friends over a burger.

needless to say, the only type of burger i eat is veggie or salmon, so i usually get nervous about going to places like e&p because i can make my own salad for dinner. they did offer a veggie burger and i opted for that but there was nothing special about it. It taste like every other frozen/unthawed/grilled veggie burger; however, the fries were good.
i don’t think anyone had a particularly outstanding meal (mostly the opposite) but buddy of BOOF, hh, had the crab cakes and she said that those were quite tasty.her little mountains of mashed potatoes also looked delectable.

nevertheless, e&p is a great place to accommodate a large group of friends (so you can be loud and not worry about it), but you may want to eat dinner before or after going there because it really should exclusively be a pub with just pub food. during the week, i hear that they also have a good happy hour, and that seems like more of the ideal setting to head there.

Overall Rating: C-