Cheesy Greens and Rice Gratin

Having grown up in the upper Midwest, I've been around more than my fair share of casseroles. From time to time that dense and hearty fare is exactly what I'm craving, but for your average meal I'm not looking to eat something that will require a nap immediately after. But who can argue with the glorious collaboration of cheese, rice, and veggies? That's where my grown-up tastes turn to the infinitely customizable, eternally delicious, gratin.

Every kitchen should have at least one variety of grain, spice mix, sauce, nuts or seeds, greens, and cheese, so there's sure to be some iteration of this recipe in easy reach. Have leftover pasta sauce or salsa instead of tomatoes? Absolutely! Cooked quinoa or barley instead of rice? Go for it! Old Bay instead of Za'atar? Sharp cheddar or Parmesan instead of Gruyere? There's no shortage of tasty combinations so go nuts with whatever you have in the fridge and cabinets and find your favorite. My first tasting of this gratin brought together brown rice, salsa, kale, pepitas, and cheddar cheese for a Mexican/Southwestern slant on the recipe. Marinara, pine nuts, and Parmesan give this a nice Italian twist, and orzo and feta cheese could take it in a Greek direction, particularly if you tuck some olives in there as well.

Cheesy Greens and Rice Gratin
adapted from Eat Your Vegetables by Joe Yonan
serves 1

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Za'atar (or other favorite spice blend)
1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes in their liquid, or 2 chopped plum tomatoes, or 1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce or salsa
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons toasted pistachios or pine nuts
3/4 cup cooked hearty greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, etc.) or 2 cups chopped fresh leaves
1/4 cup shredded Taleggio or Gruyere, or other good melting cheese

1. Preheat the oven broiler, and adjust the rack to be several inches from the flame.

2. Pour the olive oil into a small cast-iron or other oven/broiler-proof skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the garlic and cook until it starts to become tender. Sprinkle in the za'atar and cook for just a few seconds, letting the spices bubble and bloom. If using fresh greens, add them now. Stir in tomatoes or sauce and rice, taste, and as salt and pepper as needed. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors combine, then turn off the heat. Stir in the nuts or seeds.

3. Pack the rice mixture down even with a spatula and top with cooked greens (if not using fresh), leaving a ring of rice exposed. Sprinkle with the cheese. Slide the skillet under the broiler and cook until the chees is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned, 3 or 4 minutes, then remove. Let cool slightly, but eat it hot.

Smoky Chipotle Salsa with Pan-Roasted Tomatillos

Since the season for tomatillos at the farmers' market is nearly at an end, I'll take the opportunity to share one last stellar salsa recipe, from the genius mind of the inimitable Rick Bayless. This is not a salsa for the faint of heart, packed with smokiness and lots of heat courtesy of the chipotles en adobo. Unless you really love spice, you can't dig into this in like fresh or roasted tomatillo salsa, but just a small amount adds a ton of flavor to tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, or quesadillas. It also blends beautifully with sour cream as a dip for tortilla chips, tempering the heat of the chipotles with creamy, rich sour cream. And if you're stuffed from allergies or your first cold of the season, make up a batch of this spicy salsa to clear your sinuses right up!

Smoky Chipotle Salsa with Pan-Roasted Tomatillos
from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
makes about 1 1/4 cups

3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut in half
2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo (or more, if you like really spicy salsa)
Salt

1. Set a large (10-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (if you don't have a nonstick skillet, lay in a piece of foil). Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well-browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft).

2. Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender jar or food processor, along with the chiles and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and cool.

3. Thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous 1/2 teaspoon.

Salsa de Tomatillo en Molcajete

In my opinion, these are really the glory days of the farmers' market. Summer delicacies like sweet corn and watermelon are still plentiful, but a bumper crop of apples and pears have started to appear and the first winter squash are making their appearance. As the seasons change, my diet will move toward heartier fare, but I'm not quite ready to let go of tastes of summer just yet, and couldn't resist another salsa with one of my favorite, but fleeting, ingredients, tomatillos. This is a fairly typical roasted tomatillo salsa recipe, with the exception of one ingredient-extra-virgin olive oil. Just one tablespoon of olive oil makes the salsa smooth and rich, a perfect contrast to the spice from the serranos and acidic punch of the lime juice. It's a great salsa to transition from summer to fall, with its roasted and luxurious flavor bridging the light and bright quality of summer fare with the smoky, hearty flavors of fall. While irresistible piled high on a tortilla chip, this salsa also makes a fantastic sauce for enchiladas (or topping for any other Mexican-inspired dish) and accompaniment to collegiate or NFL football.


Salsa de Tomatillo en Molcajete*
from Saveur
makes about 1 cup

1 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed

4 serrano chiles, stemmed

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

2 tbsp. minced white onion

2 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 tbsp. olive oil

(*A molcajete is a Mexican mortar and pestle, typically made from basalt, traditionally used to grind spices, make guacamoles and salsa, and could be used here, if desired)

1. Position an oven rack 4" from broiler; heat to high. Place tomatillos, chiles, and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning often, until blackened in spots and cooked through, about 10 minutes for the garlic and chiles, and 15 minutes for the tomatillos; remove each ingredient as it finishes cooking.

2. Place roasted chiles, garlic, and salt in a food processor and puree until smooth; add tomatillos, cilantro, onion, and lime juice. Pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in oil.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

One of my coworkers and I have somewhat of an obsession with tomatillos. Probably like most people who enjoy tomatillos, we both mainly use them for salsa, but I've been searching for new recipes with a lot more fervor lately. But as great as it is to get creative, it's always good to start with the basics, and where better to start for Mexican recipes than the incomparable Rick Bayless.

Contrary to what their name may lead you to believe, tomatillos are members of the nightshade family and closely related to gooseberries, not tomatoes. Tomatillos are a staple in Mexican cuisine and used in many of the same applications as tomatoes, both raw and roasted. While raw tomatillos are bright and fresh, roasted tomatillos are smoky and smooth with just an acidic bite. Both forms are delicious and you can't beat the ease of fresh tomatillo salsa (blend tomatillos, garlic, and hot chiles in a food processor, add chopped onion, cilantro, and salt to taste), most of the time I think it's worth it to roast the ingredients. You'll definitely get hungry and impatient as the aroma of the roasting tomatillos, garlic, and peppers wafts through the house, but it'll all be worth it when you can load up some tortilla chips and dig in. (For what it's worth, my favorite tortilla chips are Frontera brand, Rick Bayless' company). The roasted salsa also holds up longer in the fridge than the fresh version if you have enough self-control not to eat an entire batch in a day or two. And if you're generous enough not to want to keep it all for yourself, take this simple but scrumptious salsa to your Labor Day cookout or football game and please your friends and family with this likely unfamiliar ingredient.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
from Rick Bayless
makes about 1 cup

8 ounces (3 to 4 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (1 or 2 serranos or 1 jalapeños), stemmed
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
6 sprigs of fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), roughly chopped
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt

1. Roast the tomatillos, chile(s) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, until blotchy black and softening (they’ll be turning from lime green to olive), about 5 minutes.  Flip them over and roast the other side.  Cool, then transfer everything to a blender, including all the delicious juice the tomatillos have exuded during roasting. Add the cilantro and 1/4 cup water, then blend to a coarse puree. Scoop into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture.  Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon.