Sea Bass with Chickpea Puree and Parsley Sauce

I'm the Bon Appétit and Food & Wine fan who dreams about (and drools over) each issue's recipes, rips them out for later use, and completely forgets about them after the fact. However, when Zoe and I invited a few friends for dinner earlier in the month, I spent one evening sorting through dozens of torn pages and narrowing them down to the finest. This sea bass recipe stood out among the rest; and boy, does it still stand out. The chickpea puree leftovers made for a fabulous post-work appetizer and wine accompaniment the following day, and the parsley sauce added just the right amount of color and flavor to the mix.

I served my fillet with a green bean salad with mustard seeds, roasted fingerling potatoes, and some sautéed portobello slices.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 4 six-ounce sea bass fillets Salt and pepper 4 fresh bay leaves 4 small rosemary sprigs 1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary 2 cups Italian parsley leaves 2 tablespoons lemon juice Two 15-ounce cans chick peas, rinsed and drained 1 small garlic clove

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium baking dish, mix 1/4 cup olive oil with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest. Season fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to marinade, and nestle with bay and rosemary leaves between fillets. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. In a blender, combine parsley with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water. Puree until smooth. With the machine on, gradually add 1/2 cup oil until incorporated. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

3. In a food processor, combine chick peas with garlic, minced rosemary, 1 cup water, remaining 1/4 cup oil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Transfer puree to a medium saucepan over low heat. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm on stove.

4. Remove fish from marinade. Place on baking sheet. Roast for 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Spoon chickpea puree onto plates and top with fish. Drizzle with parsley sauce and serve immediately.

P.S. The parsley sauce and chickpea puree can be made ahead!

adapted from food & wine

Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Pecorino

This vegetarian recipe -- so simple, yet so satisfying -- was recently crafted during a panicked lunch break. Having been out of town, my fridge was bare-boned with just a package of pecorino and fully ripened cherry tomatoes. Well, almond milk and white wine were also on the shelf, but those did not move forward my mission of quickly whipping up a lunch. I moved to the pantry and found my embarrassingly large collection of wildly shaped pastas. You name it, and I most likely own it. . .bucatini, orrechiette, penne, angel hair. . . Disclaimer: I am not trying to prove any master chef culinary skills here. But, having made the best out of a needy situation, this final product was too tasty to not share with you. My bowl of caramelized tomatoes and whole wheat gnocchi (only 200 calories per serving, according to the box) was ready for consumption in under ten minutes! Let me know what you think -- what would you add to your gnocchi bowl with any refrigerator leftovers?

Makes 1 serving

1 cup whole wheat gnocchi 1 tablespoon butter Approximately 1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tablespoon pecorino, shaved Salt and pepper

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. While water is heating, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add tomatoes (cut side down) and leave untouched to caramelize the tomato halves.

2. Add salt and gnocchi to boiling water. Set a timer for 4 minutes. Once cooked, strain gnocchi and immediately add to saucepan with tomatoes. Stir carefully for 2 minutes to combine. Add salt, pepper, and pecorino. Immediately transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy warm!

Pumpkin Seed Encrusted Lamb

The finale of next week's All Hallows Eve dinner menu is finally complete! I am currently warming up to a latte at a coffee shop (I'm simply not used to weather below 60 degrees), but this aubergine entrée is sure to "chill you to the bone." While the pumpkin seed crust was an intended seasonal touch, the buttery flavor and crunchy texture elevates any protein for your main course. I am a big fan of pumpkin seeds on my fish (especially halibut), and they aren't a bad afternoon snack, either.

While I did not provide step-by-step instruction, chopped japanese eggplant with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt is a lovely nest for your rack of lamb. The rich color complements the table (styled by Art in the Find) like an accessory. I look forward to consistently serving eggplant this winter now that the Farmers Market is extending through the end of the calendar year.

Makes 3-4 servings (depending how hungry you are!)

Rack of lamb (approx. 8 lollipops) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 splash red wine Garlic powder Salt and pepper 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1. Toast pumpkin seeds in a small skillet. Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board. Chop coarsely with a large knife. Mix with rosemary and set aside.

2. In a large Ziploc bag, pour mustard, wine, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over rack of lamb. Tightly seal the bag and massage the lamb until it is well coated and ingredients are combined. Allow marinade to sit on countertop for 30 minutes (directly before roasting), or place in refrigerator for the day.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Remove lamb from Ziploc and place on a broiler pan. Pat pumpkin and rosemary mix over lamb in an even layer.

4. Roast at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, then lower heat to 300 degrees. Cook for 7-15 minutes longer (depending on the size of the rack of lamb), until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat 125°F on a for rare or 135°F for medium rare. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

5. Slice and serve over roasted eggplant -- you are sure to be "chilled to the bone!"

Harvest Pumpkin Soul Soup

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Eleven days until the thrilling holiday arrives, so pumpkin must be the primary ingredient for the first course of my and Conni'sAll Hallows Eve Dinner party. While we have already taken note of the fig and mascarpone dessert and blackberry brew cocktail, I think you'll love the remaining two Halloween plates, both involving the most coveted element of the season. The soothing richness of this broth (without the cream!) will warm you up as temperatures drop. Sprinkle the top of each bowl (by Paper and Clay) with toasted pumpkin seeds and nutmeg.

Makes 4 servings

1 15 ounce can of canned, unsweetened pumpkin 2 14.5 ounce cans vegetable stock 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped Pinch of ground nutmeg Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Sauté onion in olive oil, until tender. Add 1 can of vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Add remaining can of vegetable stock, canned pumpkin, and ground nutmeg. Stir well before bringing to a boil again. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Ladle into soup bowls and top with roasted pumpkin seeds.

adapted from the beauty bean

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Sweet Potato Hash (Two Ways)

Have you jumped on the #bestovers bandwagon yet? I have been following sites such as Food52 and Love & Lemons on Instagram (as should you), and the creative spins on "leftovers" truly blow me away. When I tried out a simple sweet potato hash with Zoe last week for dinner -- because, let's face it, who has the patience to watch a potato bake in the oven while your stomach is grumbling -- I also envisioned a fancied hash brown version with a crispy fried egg. I can't decide which preparation I prefer; but the good news? You can enjoy both. For breakfast. And dinner.

Any #bestovers ideas from your kitchen? Send them my way!

Makes 4 servings

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 ears of corn kernels 2 tablespoons butter Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced

1. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet on medium-medium high heat. Add sweet potatoes and corn.

2. Sauté until roasted and potatoes are soft yet crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley.

3. For dinner, serve alongside your protein of choice and vegetable. For breakfast, prepare one egg over-easy and serve over hash.

Gazpacho (Featured on The Everyday Adventurer)

Last week, the Cuisinart was calling my name. . .or maybe it was the "five days left of summer" alarm going off in the back of my mind. Alas, such a calling inspired an entire day in my new kitchen with Haim Pandora station in the background and bowls and spoons in every direction.

Coincidentally, I had just been in touch with sisters Lindsey and Haley of The Everyday Adventurer, a new Austin-based lifestyle blog with a focus similar to that of Caramelized -- celebrating everyday experiences, whether a new destination or a new stylish outfit. I couldn't have been more excited to be on their blog to share my latest gazpacho recipe, which is super simple and summer-ific. Please do not let the fact that the tomatoes are pureed intimidate you -- it's a faster process than standing and dicing one at a time.

Click here for the recipe instructions and a little Q&A. Thanks for having me, Lindsey & Haley!