flash-cooked cold asparagus with middle eastern dip

this is barely a recipe - it's more like a technique plus a notion that come together into a great snack or side dish. the asparagus i used here were tiny thin ones, but you could also use fatter ones - just allow them to cook longer.

basically, bring some salted water to a boil (there is actually a recipe for this - the comments are pretty entertaining). add your asparagus. this is totally not difficult, but you do want to make sure you use a pot big enough for it to all fit in there without breaking, of course.

let it cook until it's as tender as you like. the stalks i used were so tiny that they got bright green almost immediately. i think i left them in for about 45 seconds or so, and they were still pretty al dente, but pleasantly so.

the next part is the important part - using tongs or something, put them immediately into a bowl of cold water with ice. this stops the cooking more quickly and keeps them that nice verdant green. once they are cool, you can store them in the fridge until you are ready for them. i put mine in a tupperware thing on some paper towels to help them dry out more. you could also use a clean kitchen towel, of course, and thus be less wasteful, but i didn't have one.

for the dip, i was feeling like something kind of middle eastern, so i used 2/3 greek yogurt to 1/3 mayonnaise (this is a rough proportion - you can use however much of each you like) and added salt, a couple of tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese, and some middle eastern/north african spices/mixes - za'atar, ras el hanout, and sumac. i used about equal amounts of the za'atar and ras el hanout and perhaps half that of sumac. just play around with it and see how much of each you like - start slow and keep tasting it until is is delicious.

because i bought the za'atar and ras el hanout already mixed, i am not sure exactly what was in these particular ones, but the links go to wikipedia things about them that describe what's going on. the ras el hanout is fairly spicy, which was nice. you should be able to get these at a grocery store with bulk spices (always the way to go, so you don't end up with a giant jar of cardamom that you will never use) or a middle eastern grocery or certainly on the internets. they're worth seeking out, because you can also use them in things like rice, eggs, etc. za'atar is particularly good as a rub for roast chicken.

anyway, it's a good idea to mix this up and let it sit for awhile so the flavors meld. then you can dip away with the asparagus and whatever else you have around. it would also be good as a sandwich spread or whatever else your little heart desires!

perhaps not an ice cream topping, though.

spicy greexican tzatziki

we are so lucky to have mint thriving in the backyard - it was here when we moved in and i have done nothing to it but pick it sometimes and yet it's thick and fragrant and seemingly neverending. i do a lot of things with it - for the kentucky derby we made juleps and i often smash some leaves and put them in sparking water for a little extra flavor. this is the first time this season that i have made tzatziki with it, though.
usually tzatziki is made with greek yogurt, garlic, cucumber, some olive oil, and sometimes mint and/or lemon. we have a lot of cilantro that i didn't want to waste, though, so i added that and also half of a jalapeño (which is what makes it rather greexican). i also added capers, because they are good and because they add a briny insouciance to everything they touch.

so you can do this any number of ways, but i started with about 3/4 cup of greek yogurt. i grated one medium garlic clove into it, using this kind of cheesy small-holed grater from ikea. honestly, it is kind of a poor quality grater, and i should have used the microplane for the garlic, but my laziness and disinterest in washing dishes won out.

i used the same grater to grate the cucumber (this was like 1/3 of one of those english/hothouse ones and i didn't peel it) and half of the jalapeño. you could definitely use more if you like - i was going for a not-crazy level of spiciness.

then i used the ol' kitchen scissors to cut the cilantro and mint into the rest of the stuff, added a little salt and pepper, and stirred it up.

that is it! so easy! all i had to wash were the scissors and the grater! i win.

it is good to make this ahead of time so that the flavors have a chance to get acquainted and meld together a bit. nothing too crazy - just an hour or so if possible. but it is good right away, too.
we are going to eat this on chicken sausages and garlicky mustard and turnip greens wrapped in pitas. there may be some feta involved, too. however, it would also be good on tacos or as a dip for crackers or vegetables, or on gyros, etc., if that is something you enjoy.

*ingredients*

3/4 cup greek yogurt

1/3 of an english cucumber

1 small handful of cilantro

6 or 7 (or more) mint leaves

1 medium clove of garlic

1/2 of a jalapeño

up to 1 tablespoon capers (depending on your love of them)

salt and pepper to taste

everyday artichoke (and spanish-y smoked paprika dip!)

apparently people are sometimes apprehensive about artichokes. they seem like a hassle, or maybe too fancy, or you don't know how to eat them or whatever.

they are actually totally easy and really great to eat as a casual (dig the tupperware serving dishes) but fun and sort of unusual appetizer with friends or your sweetums. sometimes they can be expensive, but trader joe's has them for a mere 99 cents right now, so no more excuses!

this is just a steamed artichoke, but you can also par steam them and then grill them, which i did a couple of weeks ago. that was seriously delicious and i plan to do it again, but just steaming them is also good and really simple.

cut the stem off. you can also steam this, and i did, but it was sort of bitter and i didn't care for it. next time i will probably just throw it away. oh well.

sometimes people trim each leaf thing and cut off the tip of it, but as always, i am lazy and didn't do that. somehow it still managed to taste good.

set it on one of those steamer basket thingies in a pot big enough so that you can fit it in there and cover it. put about an inch or so of water in the bottom and turn the heat on high. let it steam for about half an hour to 45 minutes, checking every now and then to make sure there is still water in the pan (and replenishing if there isn't).

the artichoke is done when you can wiggle one of the bottom leaves (yes, i know they aren't really leaves, but whatever) pretty easily. you can also check by picking it up with tongs and sticking a knife tip in the stem - if it is pretty tender, that puppy is done!

even if you overcook it a little, it's not that big a deal because you will be dipping it in delicious sauce that makes everything yumsville - it's a bit like an aioli, but also includes smoked paprika, which is a miracle ingredient and will make your life better in countless ways.

for one artichoke, i used 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of greek yogurt, one large clove of garlic (minced, or you can do what i do and grate it on a microplane - watch your fingers, though!), a teaspoon-ish of sherry vinegar (or lemon juice and a little zest would be great - we just didn't have any lemons), like a teaspoon of smoked paprika (i think this is in most supermarkets now - ours even has it in the bulk spices section, so you can get however much you want at a time), a smaller amount (maybe 1/2 that) of cumin, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper.

i am trying to write the measurements so you have an idea of proportions, but seriously, it isn't like i sat there with a measuring cup and spoons - really i just kind of dollop things in, taste it, and adjust.

then once the artichoke is cooled (you can eat it lukewarm or cold or however you want), eat up!

work from the outside in, picking off the leaves, dipping, and using your teeth to scrap off the soft meaty part at the base of the leaves. i am sure there are youtube videos on this for those who are confused.

once you get to the center prickly part (choke), scoop that sucker out with a sharp spoon or a knife. then you are left with the heart, which you can cut into wedges and continue dipping.

then if you didn't get all the dip, but are out of artichoke, you can use bread or your fingers to make sure you don't waste any.

the dip would also be really good with other steamed or roasted vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, or asparagus.

*ingredients*

artichoke

aioli-type dip:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1 large clove of garlic

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar or lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste