Chard Tacos

adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 2

For a heartier meal, you can add diced smoked firm tofu during the final minutes of cooking. Sliced avocado and fresh coriander also make nice additions to the finished tacos.

400 g Swiss chard, thick lower stems cut off, OR 300 g spinach, rinsed well

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

1 large white or red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

pinch of red pepper flakes

100 ml chicken or vegetable broth or water

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 warm corn tortillas (though flour ones will also work fine)

100 g crumbled feta or goat’s cheese

175 ml salsa

Cut the chard crosswise into 1/2-inch slices (small spinach leaves can be left whole). In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown but not entirely soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, then add the broth or water, salt and the greens. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the greens are almost tender, anywhere from 2 minutes for baby spinach to 5 minutes for Swiss chard.

Uncover the pan, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture is nearly dry. Taste and season with additional salt if you think it needs it. Serve with the warm tortillas, crumbled cheese and salsa.

Polpette di Melanzane (Aubergine ‘Meatballs)

adapted from Catherine Fulvio via the Good Food Channel

These ‘meatballs’ come together more easily than you might think. You can watch Catherine Fulvio herself making them at www.roma.ie/MeetOurCooks/Default.aspx?sec=vid&vid=19. The polpette can be frozen, so consider making a double batch. We’ve given a recipe for homemade tomato sauce, but a jarred sauce would also be perfectly fine.

Serves 4 (makes 14 to 16 balls)

for the polpette:

2 large aubergine, cut in half

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

200 g breadcrumbs

125 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

a pinch of grated nutmeg

450 g spaghetti, to serve

for the tomato sauce:

75 g unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 x 400 g cans whole plum tomatoes, with their juices

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

salt, to taste

6 basil leaves, chopped

To make the tomato sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and sauté gently for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes along with their juices and the onion halves. Add a pinch or two of salt. Place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer, mashing up the tomatoes gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally, continuing to mash any large pieces of tomato with the wooden spoon. Shortly before serving, stir in the chopped basil. Taste and add salt as needed. Discard the onion.

Meanwhile, to make the polpette, preheat the oven to 180°C. Rub the halved aubergines with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them on a baking tray and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.

Scoop out the flesh of the aubergines, place in a sieve and press gently to squeeze out the excess liquid. In a mixing bowl, mash the garlic and aubergine together, then stir in the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shape the aubergine mixture into golf ball-sized ‘meatballs’. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the balls in batches until golden, turning from time to time and taking care not to crowd the pan. Place on a paper towel to drain.

When the sauce is done, add the polpette and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain well and serve with the polpette and tomato sauce.

Spicy Peanut Soba with Tofu and Vegetables

The peanut sauce paired with the tofu in this menu is bold, flavourful and spicy. If your kids aren’t fans of spicy food, omit the chilli oil from the sauce. If for some reason you aren’t in the mood for tofu, feel free to substitute extra vegetables for the tofu.

Serves 6

50 ml soy sauce

125 ml peanut butter

15 g chopped coriander, plus extra for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

50 ml hot water

2 tablespoons chilli oil or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons sherry

2 teaspoons sugar

1 package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

250 ml peanut or canola oil

300 g soba noodles

1 red or orange bell pepper, sliced thin

300 g sliced mushrooms

300 g mangetout or sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 bunch scallions, bias cut, white parts separated from green parts

225 g fresh bean sprouts

Combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, coriander, garlic, hot water, chilli oil, sherry and sugar in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. The sauce should be about the consistency of ketchup. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed.

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok until it’s smoking. Add half the tofu to the oil, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking. Continue frying for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tofu is golden. Remove the tofu with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu until it’s all cooked and drained.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok or large frying pan. On a high heat, stir-fry the bell pepper for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the peas and white parts of the green onions. Stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Stir in the scallions and bean sprouts. Remove the wok from the heat.

Toss the tofu in about 125 ml of the peanut sauce. In a large serving bowl, mix the tofu, cooked soba noodles, vegetables and half the peanut sauce. Add more sauce as needed to coat all the noodles and vegetables. Garnish with coriander.

You can find these recipes and more family favourites on our blog, www.dinnerdujour.org.