Spicy Kale Salad with Miso-Mushroom Omelet

It's not often that I discover a recipe that is truly a new culinary concept for me. Eggs are a staple food in my diet and it seems like I've prepared them nearly every possible way. More times than I can count, especially when I'm pressed for time, my dinner has been a veggie-packed frittata or omelet with a side salad and toast. With the thousands of bites of frittata and salad I've taken so perilously close to each other, I can't believe I'd never thought to cut up an omelet to top my salad until this recipe. But I'm here to tell you that it's fantastic!

It surely doesn't hurt that this particular omelet is one of savoriest you can make. Umami powerhouses miso and mushrooms team up in the omelet itself and with a topping of Parmesan cheese, this savoriness can scarcely be rivaled. Miso isn't a terribly common ingredient, though with the mainstreaming of sushi, it's finding its way into a lot more restaurants and home kitchens. I'll confess it might seem like a big investment for being used in a such a modest amount, but it's one of the best ingredients to have around for adding a quick punch of umami to a dish, especially when eating vegetarian. (But if you're in a real pinch, a bit of soy can almost do the trick.) It takes a hearty green like kale to hold up to the robustly flavored omelet and the spice of vinaigrette livens up every bite. Toasted pecan bits finish the dish with a rich and toasty note with a mere slice of crusty bread all that is required to turn this into full meal.

Spicy Kale Salad with Miso-Mushroom Omelet

adapted from Serve Yourself by Joe Yonan

serves 1

1 tablespoon unsalted raw pecan halves

1 teaspoon white miso

1 teaspoon water

1 egg

1 tablespoon extra-virgin oliveoil, plus more if needed

1 cup chopped cremini, oyster,hen of the woods, or othermeaty mushrooms

2 cups lacinato or other kale leaves, stripped from their stems, thinly sliced and massaged 

2 tablespoons Lemon Chile Vinaigrette (see below)

1 ounce coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Sprinkle the pecans into a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the nuts start to brown and become fragrant, a few minutes. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool; if you leave them to cool in the pan, they can burn. Once they are cool, chop them.

2. Whisk together the miso and water in a small bowl, then whisk in the egg until well combined.

3. Heat the olive oil in a small, preferably nonstick, skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they collapse. Spoon the mushrooms onto a plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as you can.

4. Return the skillet to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Add a little more oil if the pan seems dry. Pour in the miso-egg mixture; cook briefly, just until it sets on the bottom; lift the edges of the set egg on one side and tilt the pan toward that side so the uncooked egg runs underneath, and do this a time or two more until the egg isn’t runny on top. Spoon the mushrooms down the middle and fold the eggs over the mushrooms to form an omelet. Cook briefly on each side, until the omelet is just cooked through. Transfer it to a cutting board to cool.

5. Toss the massaged kale with the vinaigrette in a serving bowl. Once the omelet has cooled, chop it into bite-sized pieces. Add the omelet pieces and cheese to the kale and toss to combine, then grind a generous amount of pepper on top. Sprinkle on the pecans, and eat.

Lemon Chili Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)

1/4 cup chili-infused oil

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey 

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Smash the garlic with the side of a chef’s knife, sprinkle with the salt, and finely chop the two together. Smear it with the side of the knife to create a paste, and transfer it to a small glass jar.

2. Add the lemon juice, chili oil, olive oil, mustard, honey and several grinds of black pepper. Screw on the jar’s lid and shake to combine. Taste and add more salt as needed. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Half of the time I'm cooking with squash puree I'm trying to sneak it in and half the time I'm trying to feature it. When it comes to blending in, sauces are the way to go, with squash mac and cheese the cream of the crop. Not only does butternut squash blend perfectly with color-wise with (yellow) cheddar cheese, but it's silky texture gives the sauce body and richness without the need for cream. Using a combination of three distinctive cheeses gives the sauce real character and depth of flavor, blending seamlessly with the squash. No baked mac and cheese would be complete without a layer of crunchy breadcrumbs on top, and I opted for whole wheat panko blended with Parmesan, the perfect crunchy, savory complement to the rich and cheesy glory it rests upon. A classic comfort food healthified without loss of flavor or texture, this meal is a great to way to the feed the family and stave off the winter blues.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
adapted from Cooking Light
serves 4 

1 cup butternut (or other winter) squash puree
3/4 cup skim milk
2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2.5 ounces) shredded smoked or sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat rotini, macaroni or other small pasta
Cooking spray
1/4 cup whole wheat panko or regular breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil 
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Cook pasta two minutes less than directed on the package, drain and set aside, reserving 1 to 2 cups pasta cooking water.

3. Meanwhile, combine squash puree, milk, garlic, and salt in pepper in a blend until smooth. Add squash mixture to a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add cheddar, Pecorino, and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and whisk to thoroughly combine. Add the noodles and stir thoroughly. Add additional pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time and stirring well with each addition, until sauce is thin and coats pasta thoroughly. (You want the sauce to be thin as the sauce will cook down and be absorbed by the pasta during baking - I used 1 cup total water.) Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish.

4. Combine bread crumbs and remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan in a small bowl. Add olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle in an even layer over the pasta.

5. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.