Lucid Food_ Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life - Louisa Shafia [63]
Makes 8 stuffed poblanos
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bunch kale, stems removed and finely chopped
8 ounces plain tempeh, crumbled
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups crumbled queso fresco
Salt
8 poblano chile peppers
To make the filling, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to brown, then stir in the kale and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tempeh, cumin, chile powder, and cloves. Cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, soy sauce, honey, and ½ cup water and simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the queso fresco and season with salt.
To prepare the chiles, slice off the stem end of each one so you have a wide hole for stuffing. Using a sharp knife, reach inside and slice out the membranes and seeds. Work carefully so as not to puncture the skin.
Preheat the oven to 425°F, or preheat the grill to medium.
Rub the chiles inside and out with olive oil. Using a small spoon to pack the narrow end, stuff the chiles with the filling. Pack them as tightly as possible without tearing the flesh. This will help to hold the stuffing in during cooking.
If roasting, put the chiles in a lightly greased casserole dish, cover, and roast for 5 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 minutes more. Rotate the chiles in the pan so a different side is facing up, and roast for another 10 minutes, or until the poblano skin is lightly charred and the filling is heated through. If grilling, place the chiles directly over the heat and cook for about 15 minutes, rotating two or three times. Serve hot.
Grilled Pizza
When making grilled pizza, roll the dough very thin so that it cooks through quickly. This means that it’ll burn easily, so keep an eye on the dough as it cooks. If you’re new to grilling pizza, make an extra batch of dough, in case a few pizzas get sacrificed to the gods of grilling. Apply toppings lightly—just a few tablespoons each.
Makes six 12- to 14-inch pizzas
2 tablespoons fresh yeast or 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon organic white sugar
5 cups flour, plus more for kneading
Salt
¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
Assorted spreads and toppings
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Crumble the yeast in a small bowl. Add ½ cup warm water and the sugar, and stir with your fingers to dissolve the yeast. Set the bowl in a warm place until the yeast starts to foam and bubble, about 5 minutes.
Put the flour in a large bowl, and stir in 4 teaspoons of salt. Make a hole in the flour and pour in the yeast, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, and the olive oil. Coat your hands with oil and mix until you have a uniform dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with a damp cloth and put the bowl in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, 60 to 80 minutes.
Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover with a damp cloth and put them in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.
On a lightly floured board, roll the balls out into flat discs no more than ¼ inch thick. Stack the discs on a baking sheet between layers of parchment paper and store in the refrigerator until you’re about to grill.
Heat the grill to a medium-high temperature, and rub it with an old dish towel dipped in olive oil. Assemble the toppings and position them close to the grill.
Brush a disc of dough with olive oil and drop it on the grill, oiled side down. Brush the top with oil and season with salt. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a metal spatula or tongs to gently move different parts of the dough onto the grill’s hot spot. The dough will bubble up as it cooks. Using tongs, peer underneath to check the color. When the bottom looks evenly toasted, flip the dough. Immediately