Capital Harvest on the Plaza: Market Recipes - Ronald Reagan Building/Woodrow Wilson Plaza

	Border Grill's Turkey Albondigas Soup excerpted from "Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations" (LifeLine Press, 2011) www.KatherineTallmadge.com Serves 6 1/4 cup olive oil 8 garlic cloves, peeled 2 bunches cilantro, leaves only 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat, ground without skin 1 large egg, beaten 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 large leek, trimmed, washed and thinly julienned 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced 1/4 head white cabbage, cored and thinly sliced 1 to 2 jalapenõ chiles, stemmed, seeded and thinly julienned 3 medium Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock 3 tablespoons white vinegar Combine the olive oil, garlic, cilantro and 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth. In a large bowl, mix together the turkey or chicken, egg and cilantro paste. Add the bread crumbs and mix only until combined. Roll into small walnut-sized meatballs in the palms of your hands and place on a tray in the refrigerator. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Sauté the leeks and carrots with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper for 2 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage, jalapenõs and tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are limp, about 3 minutes longer. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium-heat until nearly smoking. Add the chilled meatballs in batches, shaking the pan to prevent sticking, and brown on all sides. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. When all the meatballs are browned, transfer to the simmering stock and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and serve hot. Variation For a heartier dish, add a handful or two of rice or small-shaped pasta along with the stock. Per serving: 300 calories, 12 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 28 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 20 g protein "Turkey Albondigas Soup" was adapted from "Mesa Mexicana" by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, multi-media figures, Food Network stars, and chef-owners of The Border Grill and Ciudad in Southern California. Swiss Chard Quesadillas by Chef Janis McLean of 15Ria For the onion/pepper mixture: 2 onions 1 poblano pepper, cut in half and de-seeded 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin For the filling: 1 pound swiss chard 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups shredded Queso Fresco cheese (or substitute Monterey Jack) For the tortillas Canola oil 20 flour tortillas, 5 1/2” diameter 1 1/2 cups Chipoltle Sauce Makes 10 Quesadillas 1. To make the caramelized onions, cut the top and bottom off of the onions and then cut them in half. Then slice each half into thin slices, running pole to pole (tip to stem of the onion). Cut the poblano pepper into thin julienne strips (be careful to not touch your face and eyes while you are handling the pepper). Place a 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onions, peppers and season with the salt, coriander and cumin. Stir to combine - and turn the heat down to low. Cook until the onions are translucent. Then, turn the heat up to medium and continue to cook until the onions slowly turn a caramel color. Stir from time to time and if bits begin to stick to the bottom, stir in 1/4 cup of water and deglaze the pan by stirring and loosing up all the yummy caramel bits! 2. Wash the Swiss chard leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Peel the leaves off of the stem and then chop the stem sections into a small dice. Take the remaining leaves and stack one on top of the other --- roll it up --- and cut into 1/8 of an inch “ribbons”. Keep the stems and the leaves in two separate piles. 3. Heat a 9’ skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking (3 minutes). Toss in the remaining butter – it should sizzle. When the foaming subsides, add the diced chard stem and cook over brisk heat until tender (about 1 ½ to 2 minutes). Add the chard leaf ribbons in the pan and cook for a minute until wilted. 4. When the onion mixture is caramelized, tip it into a medium sized work bowl. Add the Swiss chard and 1/2 cup of Chipoltle sauce. Stir to combine. 5. Heat a large heavy skillet up over medium heat (cast iron is great to use if you have it). When hot, swirl in enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Slip in two or three flour tortillas in to the pan (how ever many will fit). Top with a small handful of Queso Fresco (or Monterey Jack Cheese) on to each tortilla. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chard/onion filling over the cheese and then place a second flour tortilla on top. Press down lightly on each quesadillas. When the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown, use a spatula to flip it over and toast the other side. Add a touch more of the canola oil as you are flipping the quesadillas over so they brown nicely. Remove when golden brown on both sides, and continue with the rest of your tortillas. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Chipotle Sauce This is a classic New Mexican style sauce in that the purée is “fried” briefly and then cooked on a low simmer. This is an extremely versatile sauce and great on enchiladas, tamales, and the like. 1 large Chipoltle Pepper (or 2 small) 2 cloves of garlic 2 small onions (or 1 large) (+/- 6 oz) 28 oz can of plum tomatoes 1 cup chicken stock 2 Tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon salt makes 4 cups of sauce 1. Cut the onions into small chunks. Purée the Chipotle pepper, garlic, onion, and tomato together with 1 cup of chicken stock in a blender. Purée until smooth. Pour the purée through a medium sieve, pushing it through with a spatula. Discard all the tough bits left in the sieve. 2. Heat a 10-inch skillet on medium high heat for two minutes, until it is hot. Pour in the two tablespoons of oil (peanut or canola) and swirl to film the bottom of the pan. Carefully, stand back a bit, as it will splatter, pour in puréed pepper/tomato sauce. Turn the heat down to medium and after the sputtering has subsided, give it all a good stir. Add a teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Then turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for a half-hour. See Recipes Archive for past recipes

Border Grill's Turkey Albondigas Soup

excerpted from "Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations" (LifeLine Press, 2011)

www.KatherineTallmadge.com

Serves 6

1/4 cup olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bunches cilantro, leaves only
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat, ground without skin
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large leek, trimmed, washed and thinly julienned
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1/4 head white cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 to 2 jalapenõ chiles, stemmed, seeded and thinly julienned
3 medium Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
3 tablespoons white vinegar

Combine the olive oil, garlic, cilantro and 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth.

In a large bowl, mix together the turkey or chicken, egg and cilantro paste. Add the bread crumbs and mix only until combined. Roll into small walnut-sized meatballs in the palms of your hands and place on a tray in the refrigerator.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Sauté the leeks and carrots with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper for 2 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage, jalapenõs and tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are limp, about 3 minutes longer. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium-heat until nearly smoking. Add the chilled meatballs in batches, shaking the pan to prevent sticking, and brown on all sides. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

When all the meatballs are browned, transfer to the simmering stock and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and serve hot.

Variation
For a heartier dish, add a handful or two of rice or small-shaped pasta along with the stock.

Per serving: 300 calories, 12 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 28 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 20 g protein

"Turkey Albondigas Soup" was adapted from "Mesa Mexicana" by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, multi-media figures, Food Network stars, and chef-owners of The Border Grill and Ciudad in Southern California.

Swiss Chard Quesadillas

by Chef Janis McLean of 15Ria

For the onion/pepper mixture:
2 onions
1 poblano pepper, cut in half and de-seeded
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

For the filling:
1 pound swiss chard
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups shredded Queso Fresco cheese (or substitute Monterey Jack)

For the tortillas
Canola oil
20 flour tortillas, 5 1/2” diameter

1 1/2 cups Chipoltle Sauce

Makes 10 Quesadillas

1. To make the caramelized onions, cut the top and bottom off of the onions and then cut them in half. Then slice each half into thin slices, running pole to pole (tip to stem of the onion). Cut the poblano pepper into thin julienne strips (be careful to not touch your face and eyes while you are handling the pepper). Place a 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onions, peppers and season with the salt, coriander and cumin. Stir to combine - and turn the heat down to low. Cook until the onions are translucent. Then, turn the heat up to medium and continue to cook until the onions slowly turn a caramel color. Stir from time to time and if bits begin to stick to the bottom, stir in 1/4 cup of water and deglaze the pan by stirring and loosing up all the yummy caramel bits!

2. Wash the Swiss chard leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Peel the leaves off of the stem and then chop the stem sections into a small dice. Take the remaining leaves and stack one on top of the other --- roll it up --- and cut into 1/8 of an inch “ribbons”. Keep the stems and the leaves in two separate piles.

3. Heat a 9’ skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking (3 minutes). Toss in the remaining butter – it should sizzle. When the foaming subsides, add the diced chard stem and cook over brisk heat until tender (about 1 ½ to 2 minutes). Add the chard leaf ribbons in the pan and cook for a minute until wilted.

4. When the onion mixture is caramelized, tip it into a medium sized work bowl. Add the Swiss chard and 1/2 cup of Chipoltle sauce. Stir to combine.

5. Heat a large heavy skillet up over medium heat (cast iron is great to use if you have it). When hot, swirl in enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Slip in two or three flour tortillas in to the pan (how ever many will fit). Top with a small handful of Queso Fresco (or Monterey Jack Cheese) on to each tortilla. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chard/onion filling over the cheese and then place a second flour tortilla on top. Press down lightly on each quesadillas. When the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown, use a spatula to flip it over and toast the other side. Add a touch more of the canola oil as you are flipping the quesadillas over so they brown nicely. Remove when golden brown on both sides, and continue with the rest of your tortillas. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
Chipotle Sauce

This is a classic New Mexican style sauce in that the purée is “fried” briefly and then cooked on a low simmer. This is an extremely versatile sauce and great on enchiladas, tamales, and the like.

1 large Chipoltle Pepper (or 2 small)
2 cloves of garlic
2 small onions (or 1 large) (+/- 6 oz)
28 oz can of plum tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt

makes 4 cups of sauce

1. Cut the onions into small chunks. Purée the Chipotle pepper, garlic, onion, and tomato together with 1 cup of chicken stock in a blender. Purée until smooth. Pour the purée through a medium sieve, pushing it through with a spatula. Discard all the tough bits left in the sieve.

2. Heat a 10-inch skillet on medium high heat for two minutes, until it is hot. Pour in the two tablespoons of oil (peanut or canola) and swirl to film the bottom of the pan. Carefully, stand back a bit, as it will splatter, pour in puréed pepper/tomato sauce. Turn the heat down to medium and after the sputtering has subsided, give it all a good stir. Add a teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Then turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for a half-hour.

See Recipes Archive for past recipes