recipe: roasted vegetable tart

to make the shells:
1 package pre-made pie dough
1 large yellow onion, sliced very thin
1/4 C heavy cream
1 large egg
1-1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tblsp olive oil
pinch of fresh nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
special equipment: 4 tart pans with removable bottom 4-1/2”D

1. Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out 4 circles of dough about 5-6” in diameter.

2. Place dough into 4-1/2” tart pans—with removable bottoms—folding the dough that hangs over towards the center to make the walls thicker. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. With remaining dough, dice into small pieces for topping, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate with tart shells.

to make the vegetables and tarts:
2 C mixed vegetables including sliced red onion, butternut squash diced into 3/4” pieces, sweet potato diced into 3/4” pieces, cherry tomatoes cut in half, acorn squash sliced into 1/2” pieces with skin on.

1. Prep out all the veggies, mix in a bowl, lightly drizzle with olive oil and set aside.

2. Mix cream and egg together in a bowl and set aside. Heat oven to 375°F.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onions and cook for 20 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden—stir often. Stir in the garlic and thyme the last minute, remove from heat and stir in egg mixture.

4. Remove tart shells from the refrigerator and place on baking sheet. While pouring into the 4 shells, divide the onion mixture equally.

5.Top the onion mixture with veggies and sprinkle with the diced dough. Season with salt and pepper and place in pre-heated oven.

6. Bake for 45-60 minutes until the dough is golden brown and veggies are cooked. Let cool 5-10 minutes, remove from tart pan and serve warm.

Adam’s hints:
—this is a great way to use up any left over veggies you might have.
—or, with all tomatoes it’s amazing.
—you can fill the tart pans hours before hand, just keep them covered in the refrigerator.
—on set we garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme which adds its own distinct flavor.

recipe: roasted chickpeas

1 15oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried on paper towels
1 tblsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

2. In a bowl, mix chickpeas and spices with a spatula so they’re thoroughly coated.

3. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes. Remove when they’re a deep golden brown color—they’ll be crispy on the outside, soft inside. Let cool slightly and serve.

Adam’s hints:
—shake the pan a few times during baking to ensure even cooking.

recipe: mini falafel sandwiches

1 15 oz can chickpeas drained
2 tblsp tahini
1/2 C yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tblsp parsley, minced
2 tblsp cilantro, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch chili flakes
2-4 tblsp all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying
1 package mini pitas
1 C romaine lettuce, shreaded
1/2 C cucumber yogurt sauce
a few pickled turnips and Persian cucumbers, which can be found at Middle Eastern grocery markets
Makes 9-10 sandwiches

1. Combine chickpeas, tahini, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, chili flakes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. If you like it to be more chunky, just process the mixture less.

2. Remove mixture to a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir in flower 2 tablespoons at a time till you have a thick paste.

3. With your hands, form the mixture into small balls, about 1-1/2” in diameter—don’t be surprised they’ll shrink up a little when fried—and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.

4. Heat 2-3” of oil in a sauce pan with a candy thermometer to 350°F and fry the balls in batches until they’re golden brown—about 3-5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

5. Serve falafel on mini pita topped with cucumber yogurt sauce, shredded lettuce, pickled turnips and cucumbers.

Adam’s hints:
—I recommend making a double batch—they will go quickly.
—you can find mini pitas at most grocery stores like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s.
—bonus: the little squares in the middle are Manchego cheese cut into cubes—served on top of quince paste cut into the same size cubes, rolled in crushed marcona almonds and served it with micro greens. It’s kind of a non-recipe but they’re very good.

recipe: lamb meatballs with cucumber yogurt sauce

to make the cucumber yogurt sauce:
1/3 C cucumber, peeled and diced
3/4 C Greek yogurt
2 tblsp mint, minced
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp sour cream
2 tblsp honey
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
salt and pepper

1. Place all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine, season with salt and pepper.

2. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.

to make the lamb meatballs:
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 tblsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tsp mint, minced
2 tblsp Italian parsley, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
pinch of clili flake
1/2 tsp lemon zest
splash olive oil
sliced cucumber, mint and pomegranate seeds are all optional, tasty garnishes
Makes about 18

1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over med-high heat. Sauté onions and jalapeno until tender, about 3-5 minutes and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix by hand until combined, then roll into balls about 1” in diameter. Cover meatballs and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight

3. Pre-heat oven to 350°F and remove meatballs from the fridge.

4.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat and brown meatballs in batches—be sure to brown them on all sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch.

5. Once browned, place on a baking sheet roast until fully cooked—about 10-15 minutes.

6. Serve warm on sliced cucumber garnished with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, sprigs of mint and with the yogurt sauce as a side dip.

Adam’s hints:
These meatballs are awesome served as a sandwich—in a pita with crispy romaine lettuce red onions and cucumber yogurt sauce—and they can easily be prepped the night before.

recipe: adam's gazpacho

1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 english cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1/2 sweet onion peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1 japapeno seeded and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
12 oz tomato juice
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tblsp sherry vinegar
1 tblsp lemon jiuce
1/4 C blanched almonds toasted
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
croutons, optional for garnishing
Makes 6 cups

1. In blender or food processor, combine canned tomatoes, 1/2 of the cucumber and 1/2 the bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin and tomato juice. Puree on high. While it’s still running, add olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste. If mixture is to thick, thin it by adding a little water.

2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Serve in small bowls and garnish with the remainder of the diced cucumber and red pepper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and top with it all off with sliced almonds.

Adam’s hints:
—this is fantastic served any time of the year so don’t think it’s just for summer.
—I used can tomatoes because they are canned at the peak of tomato harvest so they’re always great—and if you like it spicy don’t seed the jalapeno.
—lastly, one of the best things about this soup is that it’s served chilled so it can be made a day in advance.