Winter Soup with Sweet Potato, Lamb Sausage, and White Beans

Our intention, last night, was to make another, labor-intensive recipe for Shabbat dinner. But we got home at 8:15, and couldn't really wait another two hours to eat. We ransacked the fridge and freezer -- and ended up with quite possibly my favorite soup ever. The flavors blend extremely well. A little sweet, a little spicy, and very filling, it is great for a wintertime Shabbat dinner!

Winter Soup with Sweet Potato, Lamb Sausage, and White Beans

2 large onions, diced
2 large sweet potatoes
3 links sweet lamb sausage (spicy would work, too)
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed (one cannellini, one Goya "small white beans")
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 + cups water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large pinches oregano
1 large pinch rosemary
Several good shakes red pepper flakes
1 tsp + black pepper

Cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks and microwave about 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. (Alternately, and a tastier option, if you have more time you can bake the sweet potatoes at 425 for a bit over an hour.)

In the bottom of a very large pot, cook the onions over medium to medium-low heat until they are translucent and slightly colored, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic after about 5 minutes. When the sweet potatoes are soft, dice them and add to the onions (or if you baked them, add the puree that they have become to the onions).

While the onions are cooking, remove the casings from the sausages and brown them in a saucepan, breaking them up into small chunks. When brown, add them to the sweet potato/onion mixture, leaving the fat in the saucepan.

Add the beans and at least 5 cups of water, the soy sauce, enough to mostly cover everything else. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add the spices. Simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Add more pepper to taste.

Serves 5-6.

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

Today's make-ahead meal for the next few days' lunches:

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

2.5 cups cooked brown rice (from 1 cup uncooked)
1 large bunch broccoli, chopped finely
3/4 cup skim milk
1 cup grated cheese (or more if you are feeling extravagant)(I used mozzarella, but something a bit sharper would be great)
3 eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup coarse whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 good shakes hot red pepper flakes
2 large pinches fennel seeds
2 dashes salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the rice, broccoli, garlic, and all spices in an 8 by 8 square baking dish (or something similar). In a bowl, beat the eggs; add the milk and grated mozzarella cheese; pour evenly over the rice/broccoli mixture. Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan; sprinkle evenly over the top.
Bake about 35 minutes, until the top is browned and the middle is set.

Serves 3-4..

Cranberry Applesauce

There are two seasons: fresh-fruit season, and non-fresh-fruit season. If, like me, you're getting awfully tired of non-fresh-fruit season already, and wondering how you can tolerate another berry-less breakfast, may I suggest a little dish of Cranberry Applesauce along with your Kashi GoLean? It is tart and bright-tasting, and also extremely beautiful: bright, dark red and chunky. Last year, I discovered the cranberry/rosemary combination at a friend's house, and I just can't get enough -- laugh, if you want, but do try it.

I can't get light good enough to take a photo, but will try in the next couple days before it's gone. (However, it's halfway gone and I only made it yesterday...)

Cranberry Applesauce

4 medium apples, skin-on, diced
1 12-oz bag frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp honey
1 large pinch rosemary
3/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cup red wine
about 3 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil (which may take a while, as the cranberries are frozen), stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down low and simmer, covered, making sure to stir occasionally, until the ingredients have turned to a chunky mush, about 30 minutes. Taste; if too tart for you, add more sugar. If after 30 minutes it is too thin, uncover the pot and continue to simmer and stir for another ten to fifteen minutes. It should be well combined and solidly bright red, but still somewhat chunky.

Suggestions: eat for breakfast; serve in wine glasses for dessert.

Pumpkin Lentil Soup

Yesterday, it was raining, snowing, and hailing in Brooklyn. After 7+ hours on the bus, it was still raining (and cold) in Washington. Time for soup!

Also, well, it doesn't photograph that well:

Pumpkin Lentil Soup

1 large onion, diced very small
1 cup red lentils
1 can (the large, 29 oz kind) cooked pureed pumpkin
8 cups water
3 tbsp soy sauce (or use broth instead of water, and omit soy sauce)
Leftover diced cooked vegetables, about one cup (i.e., carrots, parsnips, sweet potato)
3 tbsp cumin
1.5 tbsp cinnamon
five dashes hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

In the bottom of a large pot, cook the onions in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, stir well, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin and other vegetables, the lentils, and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat down and simmer, covered, until the lentils are cooked, a little more than half an hour.

Excellent garnishes would include chopped cilantro, chopped parsley, or plain yogurt.

Serves at least 6.

Caramel Apple Tart

I woke up with a craving for apples and a spicy caramel sauce on flaky pastry--so that's what I made this morning!

Use any pate brisée you normally use. I experimented with a new one that called for an egg instead of ice water, and a little whole wheat flour; it turned out to be on the crumbly side of flaky, which was not quite what i was going for.

The amounts called for are for a six-inch springform tart pan, though there will be enough pastry crust for a nine-inch pan. For a nine-inch pan, I would guess 5 apples, and caramel made out of 5 tbsp sugar.

Caramel Apple Tart

1 recipe pate brisée or other all-butter pie crust (make sure to refrigerate for at least half an hour and then let sit for ten minutes before rolling out)

3 to 4 apples (Honeycrisp worked well; another red cooking apple would be fine)
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Three good shakes cinnamon
1 pinch ground allspice
1 pinch ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Cut the apples in quarters. Cut out the core, but don't peel the apples: the red peel is pretty. Slice the apples thinly as you can. Keep the sliced quarters together--it will be easier to arrange them in the crust. Depending on the size of your apples, it should take between 3 and 4 apples to fill the crust.

Roll out the crust, and put it into the springform pan, patching any holes that appear (they won't show). Make sure the dough extends up past the edges of the pan, then use a knife to level the edges. Arrange a tightly-packed circle of apples around the edge of the crust, then fill in the center.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt the 3 tbsp brown sugar, ginger, and spices with 1 tbsp water over medium-low heat. Do not stir, but swish the pan around from time to time to make sure it is heated evenly. Just when bubbles form throughout, take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and salt. Pour over the tart. It should look like this:


Bake until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender, 40-60 minutes. Let cool at least a bit before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Roasted Pumpkin and Arugula Salad

We bought a beautiful Hokkaido pumpkin this past weekend. Just the thought of it was distracting me at work on Tuesday -- the air has finally turned cold, and all I could think about were warm, fall-y pumpkin dishes. What to make??? Since we also had half a bunch of arugula left over, my daydreams turned into a plan for a warm roasted pumpkin, arugula, and feta salad, to eat with rice. Not only did it make a wonderful dinner, but some of the best lunches ever the past couple of days! Hokkaido pumpkin is sweeter, more strongly flavored, and less stringy than some other winter squashes, but really any winter squash would work well.

Roasted Pumpkin and Arugula Salad

1 5-lb Hokkaido pumpkin, cut into 1 inch chunks (this is the hard part... best to delegate)
2-3 cups torn-up arugula
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp diced fresh ginger
2 tsp honey
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the oil, soy sauce, ginger, honey, chili powder, and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin with this mixture until well coated. Spread the pumpkin on a rimmed baking sheet or two and roast about 20 minutes, until tender and slightly browned on the bottom.

Toss the pumpkin with the torn-up arugula and feta. Serve immediately with rice.

Serves 4 as a main dish, 8 as a side dish.

Vegetable Rice Patties with Tomatoes and Basil

Leftover rice + leftover vegetables + cheese + enough egg to hold it together = warm, toasty, vegetable-y patties! I used the vegetables and herbs we had on hand, but it could easily be changed to use up almost any vegetable

*My associate claims these should be called "Third Day Patties," because they have been "resurrected" from the depths of the fridge...

Vegetable Rice Patties with Tomatoes and Basil

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 eggs, beaten
2 small zucchini, or 1 large, grated and squeezed dry in a towel
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup parsley, loosely packed, chopped (or another herb if that is what you have)
grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

topping: 2 tomatoes, diced
small handful basil, chopped

Mix rice, zucchini, cheese, parsley, and lemon zest in a bowl. Beat the eggs and add; mix until everything is very well coated.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Scoop out about a half-cup of the mixture and form into a shallow patty in the pan. Repeat with about four or however many will fit in your pan without crowding. Cook until the bottom begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Carefully flip with a large spatula and cook until the other side begins to brown.

Meanwhile, mix the diced tomatoes and basil together.

When the patties are browned, serve, topped with tomatoes and basil.

Makes 7-8 patties, enough for two or three people.

More Eggplant Dip

Yes, it's another eggplant dip. This one is flavored with yogurt and allspice; it is mellow and a little bit tangy.

Eggplant-Yogurt Dip

6 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 large pinches allspice
1 large pinch cocoa powder
1 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper
1 small (or 1/2) clove garlic
This much eggplant:



Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the eggplants into small chunks; toss with the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast about 20-25 minutes, until very soft and fairly brown. Let cool. If you dislike eggplant skins, remove them at this time (but they are pretty, and in my mind, delicious).
In a food processor, combine eggplant, yogurt, garlic, allspice, and cocoa. Whirl once or twice. Pick out any large chunks of garlic you see. Continue to blend until mostly smooth.
Serve with pita, chips, or vegetables, or as a spread on toast.

Pasta with Creamy Broccoli Sauce

Now I'd like to introduce a guest cooker to this blog, my associate Ben. He'll be making appearances now and then, sharing his tasty recipes. Take it away, Ben.

Thanks, Alison. It's great to be here on alisoncooks.blogspot.com. I'm a big fan of the show. Nice desk you've got there, very authoritative-looking. My, this chair is so comfy!

Anyway, a short foreword is required before I can tell you about the mystical inspirations and geopolitical context that conspired to create "my" Creamy Broccoli Sauce. It's a confession of sorts, and my agent is going to kill me for saying this on the air. But in the name of all that is noble and true and delicious, I feel I must unveil the source of my culinary extravagance. Truth be told, my success in the kitchen is due to a 6-letter G word: (genies, gamete, and ghetto are all good guesses, but sadly incorrect) Google. It's true. When I want to cook something, my first step is always to google it and compare a few different recipes. (In this case I googled "broccoli recipes" because we had broccoli in the fridge.) It's helpful to google "[the food you want] recipes" because otherwise you have to wade through all sorts of broccoli fan pages, broccoli youtube videos, and "CHEAP BROCCOLI ORDER NOW!!!" before you get to the recipes. The next step is you pick a recipe you like most of the ones you've found, and follow that one generally, though you can include bits from others, or adjust it depending on what ingredients you have available. In biblical scholarship, this is called redaction. I should also note that I don't measure stuff very much, especially spices. I mostly just dump some in (sometimes more than I intend) and taste. Sometimes I don't even taste, or know what I'm going for really. But it usually works out in the end, due either to my extensive experience and accomplishment as an eater, or to some absurd streak of luck which will abruptly end and leave me with very large gambling debts.

But anyway, this Creamy Broccoli Sauce is inspired by a recipe I encountered on southernfood.about.com. I don't have any idea what, if anything, is Southern about this, except for maybe the call for both butter and heavy cream (in the original; I redacted it.) But anyway, this is a fun thing to do if you've got broccoli lying around and lots
of time to experiment with food. Also, it's tasty and healthy and exciting. Here goes:

Pasta with Creamy Broccoli Sauce

12 ounces pasta
florets from 2 stalks of broccoli
5 medium fresh basil leaves (original; I used dried basil and it was still yummy)
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
pepper to taste (perhaps 1 teaspoon--should be fairly peppery)


Cook pasta until tender; drain.
Boil broccoli in salted water 4-7 minutes.
In food processor with steel blade, combine 8-10 broccoli florets,basil, butter and yogurt. Pulse to purée. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse to blend.
Mix broccoli mixture and remaining boiled broccoli into drained pasta; stir.
Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat. Serve when heated through and well combined. (I forgot to do the whole second heating thing and it still worked out great, just a little colder.)

Serves 4.

Baba Ganoush

...and we're back. All moved into a new apartment in a new(ish) city; all settled into a new job. I even found a mini-food processor for $2 at a garage sale!

And I'm still really, really into eggplant. I saw these little red eggplants and, naturally, HAD to have them.

And, naturally, had to make dip out of them.


However, turns out they're more bitter any other eggplants I've cooked with; I'd stick with the long slender Japanese ones, or small globe eggplants, instead. In fact, I made baba ganoush yesterday with a mix of Japanese and small globes--it was far superior.

Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Dip)

Five or six small eggplants (enough that, when cut in pieces, they cover a baking sheet).
3-4 tsp tahini
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp pimenton de la Vera (optional)
salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut the eggplant into 1-inch to 2-inch chunks. Toss in the oil in a bowl, just to coat. Arrange cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until beginning to brown, 20-30 minutes.
When they have cooled slightly, combine eggplant, tahini, garlic, salt, and pimenton (if you want an extra smokey kick) in a food processor. (I like the texture, flavor, and color of the peels, but if you don't, you could peel the eggplant now. ) Process until smooth with some chunks. Serve with pita or chips.

The New Love of My Life: Grilled Eggplant & Arugula Salad

Well. I'm in love. This is perhaps the best salad I have ever made or eaten. I want to go buy more eggplants and arugula RIGHT NOW, but it will have to wait till I've eaten my other produce. Arugula can be fairly peppery, but don't be tempted to mix it with another green here because it does an amazing job of balancing out the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth eggplant. Please, please make this.

Grilled Eggplant and Arugula Salad

2 medium Asian eggplants (the long thin kind), cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds (could substitute regular globe eggplants, cut into small chunks, but it's nice to have some skin on each piece for the texture)
1/2 large bunch arugula, maybe 1 1/2 cups
1 small wedge lemon
1-2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat your George Forman grill. Toss the eggplant slices with 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl, until just lightly coated. Arrange the eggplant slices on the grill; it will probably take two batches. Close the grill tightly. Grill about 12 minutes, until there are charred grill marks and the eggplant is very, very soft.
Meanwhile, tear the arugula into small pieces and arrange in your bowl.
When the eggplant is done, arrange it on top of the arugula. Squeeze the lemon wedge over. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp olive oil. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 1

Blackberry Cupcakes

Some might call these muffins, but to me, they are cupcakes. They are now, perhaps, my favorite cake ever. The basic cake recipe uses Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate & Zucchini's recipe for Yogurt Cake as a base, but is adapted to best fit blackberries. You could also use other summer fruits--diced peaches or nectarines, or raspberries, maybe. The blackberries remain mostly whole and fairly tart, which is a nice contrast to the sweet cake. The top gets light brown and crispy, and is the most delicious part.

Blackberry Cupcakes

about 56-60 blackberries, thawed at least partway if frozen
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt, NOT vanilla (it will mess with the texture because it has more sugar in it)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
3 heaping teaspoons cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, sugar, and lemon zest. Add one egg, beat well; add the other egg and beat well again. Add the oil; beat. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornmeal; mix just until combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into your muffin tin, about 2/3 or 3/4 of the way up. Place four blackberries on top of each; they will sink in as they bake. Bake about 35 minutes, until the top and edges are light brown.

You can eat these as-is, or you can top with whipped cream, creme fraiche, sour cream, or yogurt.

Makes 14 cupcakes.

Green Beans with Shallots, Spiced Pistachios, and Blue Cheese

I have time to cook again! For a potluck last night, I made these green beans (no photo because it just didn't occur to me yesterday). The idea came from a figs-green beans-and-hazelnut salad I saw on a restaurant menu; what I actually made turned out to be something entirely different, but equally interesting. It's pretty rich for a vegetable dish, so you don't need that much per person.

Green Beans with Shallots, Spiced Pistachios, and Blue Cheese

1 large bowlful of green beans, about 2lb
3 large shallots, sliced thinly
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup unshelled pistachio nuts, salted or unsalted
2 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 tbsp fennel seeds, to taste
3-4 grinds fresh black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil, divided

First, make the nut topping. Place the pistachios in a small plastic bag and roll over them a few times with a rolling pin to break them up a bit. In a small frying pan, combine 1 tbsp olive oil, pistachios, sugar, fennel seeds (don't be afraid of using a lot), black pepper, and some salt if using unsalted nuts. It should be enough pepper to make it slightly spicy. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted and coated the nuts and the nuts are fragrant but not blackened--about 4 minutes. Pour into a bowl, and stir with a fork every so often while it cools to keep it from solidifying into one big glob.

Second, cook the green beans: the idea is to get them charred in places and starting to be wilty. The fast method is to boil them for about one minute, drain, and saute in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high to high heat; you can also skip the boiling and saute them in oil over slightly lower heat for a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes total. When their skins have begun to blister all over, remove them from the heat.

Third, cook the shallots. Saute the three sliced shallots in 1 tbsp oil over medium-low until light brown, stirring frequently; about 7 minutes.

Combine the beans, nuts, and shallots in a serving bowl. Chill until cool. Add half the blue cheese; mix thoroughly. Sprinkle the rest of the blue cheese on top as garnish.

Serves 8 as one of several side dishes.

Comfort Food

To me, comfort food is fruit. Lots and lots and lots of summer fruit. With yogurt. Here's what I've been eating every day for nearly the past week as I study for the upcoming bar exam. You'll notice it's the same every day (though I've broken from it once or twice)--once I figured out a menu that includes some of my absolute favorite food treats, I decided to stick with it, so I get plenty of treats in my study-filled day. Plus then I make sure to eat enough (I have trouble eating enough sometimes if it's hot or I'm anxious), and it helps me avoid stress stomachaches. This is what makes me happy!

Breakfast: bowl of Kashi GoLean, berries or nectarine (cut up, obviously), skim milk. I love Kashi GoLean. If you know me, you know that. Plus it is high protein!

All Day Long: many glasses of iced Red Zinger or Raspberry Zinger tea. Yum.

Lunch: Smoothie!!! Usually frozen mango chunks, nectarine, lots of plain yogurt, a little milk, and a teaspoon or so of rosewater. Thick, so you have to eat it with a spoon. Also, two Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour mini pitas, toasted with butter--bought them once by mistake, and they're actually way tastier and softer than regular pitas, while at the same time being quite low in calories and very high in protein and fiber.

Mid-Afternoon: Chocolate break! One square dark chocolate. Yay.

Dinner: Tomato salad (a cut up tomato or a bunch of cut up little tomatoes, one sliced green onion, sometimes some basil, a drop of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt). Then pasta with Parmesan (a good three tablespoons' worth). Then, a bowl of fruit (blueberries if at all possible), with a nice spoonful of plain Greek yogurt and honey!







Late Evening: Chocolate, and wine. Then bedtime.

Repeat the next day.

Summer Spicy Chicken Salad with Rice

Yum. Nice cool chicken salad. Cilantro. It's a meal-in-a-bowl.

Summer Spicy Chicken Salad with Rice

1 1/2 cups of the green sauce listed here, or a little over 1 cup of this green sauce with 1/2 cup coconut milk stirred in (if you have the second handy one in the freezer)

2 cups cooked basmati rice or other long grain rice
3 chicken breast halves, poached and diced
3 cups diced green cabbage
2 diced scallions
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients, using enough sauce that it is quite moist but not mooshy or runny. Chill. Eat.

Serves 3-4.

Amazing Summer Tofu Salad

Wow. This is good. It's really hot today, and as I was studying this afternoon I was thinking about what cool and delicious yet filling dinner I wanted. And thought this might work. AND IT DOES. Soft, fresh, and crunchy all at the same time.

Amazing Summer Tofu Salad

1 container firm or extra firm tofu, well drained and cubed
3 cups diced green cabbage (can be roughly diced--I'm not a good dicer)
1 lb frozen peas
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
3 green onions, white and half the green part, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
salt to taste


Boil water in a saucepan. Cook the peas about three to four minutes, until just hot through but not yet wrinkly.
While the peas are boiling, combine yogurt, vinegar, oil, fennel seeds, and salt; mix thoroughly.
When the peas are done, drain them and rinse immediately with cold water to cool them. Combine tofu, cabbage, peas, and yogurt mixture in a large bowl. Toss well to coat. Taste, and add more vinegar if necessary.
Garnish with chopped scallions.

Serves at least 4 as a main dish.

The idea of this was that it is fairly bland, but you could add some cilantro, some hot jalapenos, etc to spice it up a little.

Deep Dish Nectarine Cobbler

This is not very different from the other cobblers I've already posted, but it was the first time I'd made an all-nectarine dessert in some time. Turns out, much as I love nectarines, I like pies/crumbles/cobblers better if there are some berries in there too. Still, not bad.
Make sure your nectarines are dead ripe, or they won't get soft enough by the time the topping is cooked. And use more nectarines than you think are necessary!

Deep Dish Nectarine Cobbler

1 recipe cobbler batter (using rind of one whole lemon instead of half; ok to substitute light cream for heavy cream)

Filling:
5-7 nectarines, sliced medium-thin (not peeled)
3 tbsp-1/8 cup sugar depending on how ripe they are--taste and check
2 tbsp flour or cornstarch
1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix filling ingredients in a small baking dish (somewhere in the neighborhood of 6x6, but any shape). Using your fingers, take pinches of batter and cover the top of the fruit; it should be a little over 1/2 inch thick, and there should be almost exactly enough to cover the whole top.

Bake until the top is golden, about 40-45 minutes.

Serves 3-4.

Freeform Red-Pepper Tart

This is a great recipe for summer, when bell peppers are under $2/lb. But it's what you would call a work in progress... Pretty good, and half of it looked great, but the other half unfolded on me (too much filling?). So next time I make it, I'll update the recipe. Really pretty, though! And surprisingly quick.

Freeform Red-Pepper Tart

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 packet active dry yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
about 1/2 cup warm water
dash salt
1 tsp sugar

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Let sit while you mix the flour, oil, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the water/yeast mixture with your hands until the dough comes together enough to knead; if more water is needed, add by teaspoonfuls. Dough should be neither sticky nor crumbly. Kneed about 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume (it's pretty hot here today so this took only half an hour). Punch down, knead a few times, and let rise again till doubled.
Filling:
2 large red bell peppers, coarsely chopped (I used 3, and it was too many--too messy to eat)
3/4 cup crumbled feta
2 two-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tbsp coarse Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil

Cook the bell peppers over high heat in the oil until they just begin to blacken, about 7 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave them in the pan, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, leave your plastic cutting board too close to the stove, so that it melts all over your stovetop (you can skip this step, of course).

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Knead the dough a few times to deflate it. Roll it out as large as you can, ideally about a foot in diameter. Spread the mustard thinly over, leaving a three-inch border around the edges. Pile the bell peppers in the center of the dough, again leaving about a three-inch border. Sprinkle the feta over, aiming for an even distribution. Tear the rosemary into small pieces and sprinkle over.

Fold the edges of the dough over themselves and over some of the filling, twisting the dough in paces to keep the dough in place. Fold it much farther over than you think is necessary, and pinch it to attach it to the bottom layer of dough.

Bake about 20 minutes, until golden and starting to brown in places. Let cool, at least a little, before cutting in slices and serving.

Here it is, unbaked:
Fold the edges more than that!!

Makes 4 large slices.

Mango Frozen Yogurt

Third recipe of the day! Just wanted to see if this would work. And it did. Yum. Like a frozen lassi.

Mango Frozen Yogurt

About 2 cups frozen mango chunks (Trader Joe's has them, or freeze your own)
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt. I used 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt and 1/4 cup nonfat, because that's what I had on hand, but I imagine all nonfat would work too.
3/8 cup sugar (or less--taste your mangoes)
3 tbsp rosewater

Combine all ingredients in a heavy-duty blender. Puree (some small mango chunks are nice, though). Pour into a large resealable container, leaving plenty of headroom. Freeze one hour, while you go for a walk and get caught in a huge downpour. Wait under a tree for a while. When the rain stops, walk home. Stir the frozen yogurt. You can eat it now, like a soft soft-serve, or continue freezing (stirring occasionally) until it is the desired firmness.

Makes about 2 cups.

Zinc Salmon

Made this for Shabbat but didn't manage to take a picture before dinner. I had seen a fish-with-tahini recipe recently, and thought it might work well. But tahini is kind of bitter on its own, so I wanted to sweeten it a little bit. And my boyfriend recently moved a bottle of molasses into my house that I wanted to experiment with... Turns out that molasses is an ideal complement to tahini--they both have that little bitter edge. This got great reviews--I'm looking forward to trying it again. Not what you'd call a lowfat or low calorie dish, but good for a party.

Be warned that the quantities are approximate--more of a suggestion than a recipe.
PS I'm calling it Zinc Salmon because a Google search for "sesame and molasses" informs me that--get ready--both are great sources of zinc.

Zinc Salmon

About 3 1/2 lb salmon filet (enough for about 8ish people)
About 1/2 cup tahini
2 tbsp molasses
3 lemons, or enough to cover the bottom of your pan(s) in slices
2 tbsp sesame seeds
One sweet onion, thinly sliced
A little neutral oil to cook the onion

Saute the onion until it is translucent. Add the sesame seeds to the pan, stir well to coat the onion, and cook until the onion and seeds begin to color. Remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the lemons thinly and cover the bottom of the pan with the slices. Lay your fish filet or filet pieces on top of the lemons. In a small pitcher or bowl, mix the tahini and molassess. Add water by the tablespoon until the mixture is pourable. Spread a thin layer over the fish with the back of a spoon. Spread the onion-sesame seed mixture evenly over the fish. Drizzle with the remaining tahini-molasses mixture.
Roast about 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet. Let cool to room temperature before serving. You can eat the lemon slices or not, as you see fit.

Serves 8-10.

Crispy-Crust Onion Tart

This crust, leavened with baking powder, is what you make when a yeast dough would take too long. I debated for a long time about whether it should be just onions and cheese, or include tomato sauce... settled on a thin spread of tomato paste mostly to keep the onions attached, which was good because it improves the texture of the crust. NB: Spread the sauce and toppings closer to the edge than in the photo--the crust has a very nice, light, crisp texture under the soft toppings, but is pretty tough on its own. Enjoy!

Crispy Crust Onion Tart

Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 cup water, plus or minus a little
cornmeal or sesame seeds to keep it from sticking to the pan

Topping:
3 oz. (half a small can) tomato paste
1 medium sweet onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp cumin
2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 cup crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together flour, oil, baking powder, salt, and water in a bowl until it comes together in an elastic, but not sticky, ball. If too dry, add water by tablespoons-full; same for flour if it's too wet. Knead about ten times. Put aside.

Saute the onions in some olive oil until starting to color. Add the cumin and cook a few minutes longer, but do not let burn.

Roll the dough out into a circle around a foot in diameter. Stretch it with your hands if that is easier. Place it on a round cookie sheet you have sprinkled with cornmeal or sesame seed. Spread a thin layer of tomato paste on top. Top with the onions and rosemary.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with feta, and return to oven for about 15 more minutes, or until crust is beginning to be golden.

Serves two.


EDIT (July 2, 2008): if you HAVE yeast, but just don't have much time, use the yeast and only let it rise while you cook the onions--it is much tastier!

Creamy Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

Today I really wanted something cheesy for lunch, but my options were limited as I haven't grocery shopped in a while. Found a small, forgotten spaghetti squash in the fridge, and a little bit of left-over Parmesan...

Creamy Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (from a squash not too much larger than a grapefruit; to cook quickly, cut in half and microwave about 10 minutes face-down on a plate with a little water)
1/3 to 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
dash of nutmeg

In your lunch bowl, mix yogurt, cheese, and nutmeg. Add the 2 cups cooked squash, and mix thoroughly. Microwave about 20 seconds, until just heated--do not overheat or the yogurt may curdle. Eat as a main-course lunch, or alternately as a rich side dish at dinner.

Serves 1

Coleslaw

I have never liked coleslaw, but in the last few weeks, I suddenly can't get enough. Finally today I decided to make my own, so I can satisfy my coleslaw cravings at home. First time I've ever bought cabbage! I had no mayo, so used yogurt--practically indistinguishable, but if anything, it tastes better.

Coleslaw

1/3 head green cabbage
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of garlic powder
three good shakes paprika (regular, not smoked)


Shred the cabbage into a large bowl. In a small pitcher, mix the yogurt, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Pour over shredded cabbage and mix thoroughly.

Serves 3 generously.

Orange-Blossom Strawberries

I had always heard that strawberries and balsamic vinegar were great, and maybe had even tried it once, but couldn't really remember. So I tried it again the other day, with some orange blossom water also. Verdict: amazing. These were not the world's sweetest strawberries, and with the vinegar they transformed into something that could be either a dessert with some sort of cake or equally well a side salad: sweet, tart, brightly-flavored.

Orange Blossom Strawberries

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 to 1 tsp orange blossom water, depending on how well you like it
1/2 tsp brown sugar if your berries are very tart

Mix ingredients in a bowl; let sit five minutes or so. Eat.

Serves 1.

Festival Chicken

A certain friend turned roommate of mine commented tonight that this chicken dish tasted like a "festival in [her] mouth." It uses things I usually have lying around--lemon, mustard, parsley, thyme--to great effect. The lemon slices keep the chicken moist and flavorful. You could serve it on its own, or with the gremolata-like parsley garnish, which adds a delicously fresh taste. Very easy, and very healthy!

Festival Chicken with Green Garnish

For the Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp coarse Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 thin lemon slices
1 thinly sliced green onion
generous grind of black pepper
olive oil for greasing the pan

For the garnish:
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1 thinly sliced green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp coarsely grated lemon zest

Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil. Lay two lemon slices in the baking dish; lay one piece of chicken over each lemon slice; sprinkle with pepper. Mix together the mustard, thyme, and vinegar; spread half over each piece of chicken. Top each piece of chicken with two lemon slices; sprinkle with green onion. Bake about 40 minutes or until done. Top with a generous amount of parsley garnish. (Serve with lemon slices intact, but do not eat them.)

Garnish: Mix together chopped parsley, sliced green onion, minced garlic, and grated lemon zest.

Serves 2.

Smoky Almond Chicken

This is what happens when it is Passover, I have leftover almonds, and a new tin of pimenton de la Vera. Picture not forthcoming, because I kept forgetting to take one until all the chicken had been eaten.

Smoky Almond Chicken

1.5 lb boned, skinned chicken breasts or breast tenderloins
6 oz. sliced almonds
3 tbsp olive oil plus more to grease the pan
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup matzo meal
1.5 tbsp pimenton de la Vera
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat; add pimenton de la Vera and stir to combine well. Add the almonds and stir until well-coated and fragrant, about one minute. Turn off the heat but leave in the pan.

Oil the bottom of a roasting pan. Dredge each piece of chicken in matzo meal, dip in beaten egg, and coat with almonds. Place chicken pieces in pan, if possible spacing them slightly apart (mine were crowded, though, and turned out fine). Bake about 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.

Serves 4.

Spicy Chickpea and Potato Soup

I've been cooking a lot of late, but nothing entirely new: a week where everything I cooked had cilantro green sauce in it, a lot of cooking from recipes, etc. But I finally made up a new recipe, and it is one of my favorite new recipes ever.

Spicy Chickpea and Potato Soup

4 cans chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
3 medium-large red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 very large sweet onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
6 oz. tomato paste
4 1/2 cups water (approximate)
1 tsp sweet Pimenton de La Vera (smoked paprika)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper
VERY SMALL dash cayenne
3 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

In the bottom of a large pot, saute the onions and bell pepper in the olive oil until the onions are translucent and beginning to be soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and the Pimenton de La Vera, and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the chickpeas, 3 cups of water, potatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil; turn the heat down to a low simmer and simmer covered about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft but still in cubes. You will probably have to add the rest of the water after about an hour and a half. Serve immediately with good crusty bread.

Serves about 5 as a main dish.

Green Pasta with Asparagus

I had leftover cilantro, but didn't have all the ingredients for the green sauce I like, so I decided to make up a new one. I'm posting the recipe that makes a lot of green sauce--I froze a lot and just used the leftovers for the pasta. It's a bit like pesto, but with cilantro.


Green Pasta with Asparagus

Enough pasta for two people
1/2 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Green Sauce
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste

Cook pasta. A few minutes before it's done, about 3, add the asparagus to the pot. Drain, and return to pot. Add cheese, green sauce, lemon zest, and salt if necessary. Mix well.

Serves 2.

Sauce
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt

Combine ingredients in blender and puree--start with just a little cilantro and add it little by little.
Makes about 2 cups or a little less.

Pink Fruit Salad

I WILL fix my camera eventually...

Pink Fruit Salad

5 Granny Smith apples, cut into small cubes but not peeled
1-2 blood oranges, thinly sliced and cut into small pieces
10-15 prunes, halved
1 tbsp pear brandy or white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
1 pinch ground cardamom
1 tsp sugar (omit if you're using a less-tart kind of apple)

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. The blood oranges will turn everything a lovely pink. Chill and serve.

Serves many.

Potatoes Vinaigrette

I've been yearning for a little taste of spring--can't be that far off, because the grocery store finally had some good-looking vegetables. This is my basic potato salad recipe. It's good cold in the summer, but it's even better served warm in the winter.

Potatoes Vinaigrette

4 medium-sized red potatoes (or other new potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes)
4 scallions, cleaned and diced (white part and some of the green)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
2 pinches dried rosemary
1 pinch dried thyme

Scrub the potatoes and cut them into eighths. Boil until just tender (I like mine more al dente than most people do, but in any case you do not under any circumstances want them to be mushy). Drain.
Meanwhile, combine mustard, oil, vinegar, and spices in a small bowl or Pyrex measuring cup (because it pours easily). Whisk thoroughly with a fork until incorporated.
Combine potatoes, green onions, and dressing in a bowl. Toss to coat. Serve immediately or chill and serve cold.

Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main dish (though probably no one but me would eat potatoes as a main dish).

White Bean & Turkey Sausage Stew

Possibly I've given up on photos, or possibly I just haven't charged my camera batteries yet... to be determined.

When you have not gone grocery shopping, you excavate the freezer and the cabinets, and come up with this delicious winter stew!

White Bean & Turkey Sausage Stew

3 links uncooked sweet (not hot) turkey sausage
3 cans of white beans (any size), rinsed
1 large onion, sliced finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes, preferably no salt added
1 cup chopped frozen spinach
1/2 cup red wine
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
olive oil

In a large frying pan, remove the sausage from the casings and brown in olive oil over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon. When it is just starting to brown, add the onion and saute about five minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook about two more minutes. Add the wine and vinegar (or a little more wine and no vinegar if you have more then 1/2 cup of wine in the house) and reduce until the liquid is nearly gone, about four minutes.

Combine beans, tomatoes (with liquid), and sausage-onion mixture in a large pot. Add rosemary, fennel seeds, and pepper. Cook over high heat about 20 min, until much less soupy. Add the frozen spinach and cook about five more minutes over low heat.

Serve with crusty bread.

Serves about 5.

Carbonnades à la flamande

Seeing as it's still winter, I really wanted to make a big, hearty beef stew that would make the house smell good and warm us up. This is an adaptation of a few different recipes (unfortunately, the page including Carbonnades a la flamande from my Joy of Cooking is missing, along with the surrounding 40 pages!) It's a Belgian beef stew with beer, and it turned out pretty well--possibly the first time I've ever cooked beef in this kitchen, other than brisket.
Camera batteries are still out. It looks like stew.

Carbonnades à la flamande

3 lb beef chuck, cubed (cut out any huge tendons)
4 large onions, sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
1 tbsp cider vinegar
about 4 tbsp olive oil, or more if necessary
2 bottles brown ale (I used Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale)
2 cups hot water
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp brown sugar (or omit; I used it, and it was too sweet for my tastes)
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
small pinch ground cloves
salt, pepper to taste
2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread, each spread with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Brown the beef cubes in batches until well-browned on all sides (about 3-4 min per side if the oil is hot enough). Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic in a large frying pan over medium heat until you are done browning the beef; stir frequently to make sure they get only a little color, adding the vinegar about three minutes before the end of cooking.

Return the beef to the pan, and add the flour, salt, and pepper, stirring to coat. Add onions. Deglaze the pot by adding one cup of hot water and scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the beer and the remaining water. Bring to a boil; turn down the heat to a low simmer. Add the sugar (if using), thyme, bay leaves, and cloves. Cook 2 1/2 hours over low heat, stirring occationally. One hour into the cooking, float the slices of bread at the top of the pot. Stir them in as they absorb liquid (the crusts may require some vigorous stirring).

After 2 1/2 hours, turn the heat to medium (NOT high, or you will burn the bottom of the pot, as I did) and reduce about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened enough that it coats the spoon and clings to the meat.

Serve with brown rice or potatoes.

Serves 5-6.

Lemon Cake with Raspberry-Apricot Sauce

Once again no picture; camera's out of batteries. This is a very moist, flavorful cake adapted from the plain Yogurt Cake in Clotilde Dusoulier's Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook. It is just as good on its own as with the sauce (my own invention), but the sauce makes it a little fancier.

Lemon Cake with Raspberry Apricot Sauce

Cake:
1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more to grease pan
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp pear brandy
Zest of 2-3 lemons (depending on how lemony you like your cake)
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
small pinch salt

Sauce:
15 oz frozen raspberries
About 15 dried apricots
1/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending on taste (1 cup was way too sweet for me)
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp pear brandy



Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch round cake pan or a large loaf pan; line bottom with parchment paper or aluminum foil if not springform. (My loaf pan is silicone--this is the first time I've used it, and it was the best $4 I've ever spent--so easy to release the cake.)
In a large mixing bowl, beat together yogurt and sugar. Add the eggs one by one and beat after each addition. Add oil, brandy, and lemon zest, and beat again. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix very well (until very few lumps).
Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and a knife comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes; run a knife around the edges to loosen, then flip onto a plate. Serve warm or room temperature. Gets better the next day.

Sauce: Pour about 2 cups boiling water over apricots in a medium bowl. Let sit 15 minutes. Combine apricots, raspberries, apricot soaking water, sugar, ginger, and brandy in a saucepan and cook over high heat until boiling; turn the heat down and simmer about half an hour, until the raspberries are broken down and sauce is starting to thicken. Let cool, then puree in the blender or food processor--once the apricots are pureed it will be much thicker. Serve with cake.

Serves 10 or more, depending on how large the cake slices are.

Chicken in Green Sauce

No picture, because the oven's pilot light went out (again) just as I was about to put the chicken into the oven. Despite having watched someone light the oven's pilot light before, my roommate and I couldn't find it to light it on our own--it's not in the same place as the one for the stove. So we had to call the management company, and wait for them to come light it for us, as gas seeped into the apartment. But the management people are good folks and came in only 20 minutes--enough time to get the chicken into the oven about five minutes before the guests showed up. However, it wasn't done until an hour later, so that is the long explanation of why no picture.
The sauce is adapted from Simon Hopkinson's Roast Chicken and Other Stories, my newest free-with-Lexis-points cookbook. It is extremely delicious--I cannot stop eating it (alone, on bread, on couscous, on anything). It will, however, give you terrible breath.

Chicken in Green Sauce

14 chicken parts (thighs and drumsticks), skin on or off
5 garlic cloves, chopped
olive oil, salt, pepper

Sauce:
2 large bunches cilantro, minus the stems
8 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of 4 limes
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 serrano chile peppers or more to taste
1 tsp salt
some fresh mint leaves, fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil

Put all the sauce ingredients in a food processor or heavy-duty blender and blend until a thick paste. If using a blender, you will need to stir a few times.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the chicken pieces in roasting pans. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped garlic. Spread about 1 tbsp green sauce over each piece of chicken. Bake for 1 hour.

Serve, passing remaining green sauce for guests to spoon onto their own chicken (and rice, bread, potatoes, straight into their mouths, etc).

Serves at least 8, with lots of extra sauce.

Sauteed Butternut Squash with Polenta

I was thinking today about the great squash and goat cheese pizza they have at Veggie Planet, and what I could make that would be similar with the squash I had on hand. This smells great and is full of flavor. It would be slightly prettier to serve the cheese sprinkled on top of the squash instead of mixed in, but believe me, it tastes better mixed in and melted.

Sauteed Butternut Squash with Polenta

Squash:
20 oz. cubed butternut squash or pumpkin (about 5-6 cups)
1 large shallot, sliced thinly
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water plus more as necessary
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 oz. goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled

Polenta:
1 cup cornmeal
4 cups water
Salt to taste

Saute the squash, shallot, and garlic in the oil over medium-high about 6 minutes, until the shallot is translucent. Mix together the water and soy sauce (or instead, use half a cup of broth). Add this mixture to the squash, along with thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, until the squash is tender, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the water boils off before the squash is cooked through, add a little more water. Meanwhile, boil 3 of the 4 cups of water. When boiling, mix together the cornmeal and 1 cup of cold water. Add slowly to the boiling water. Stir over low heat until thickened, about 1 minute. Cover (VERY important, because it will splatter) and cook over the lowest heat you can about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
When the polenta is done, mix the cheese into the squash over low heat just until it begins to melt. Serve alongside or on top of polenta.

Serves 3.