dinner

Tzimmes Chicken

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Tzimmes Chicken is perfect for autumn. It’s perfect for the Jewish holidays. And it is simply, just perfect. And it’s one of the dinners that you don’t need to stress over exact amounts and is even better when made ahead.

Along the lines of a tagine, Tzimmes Chicken is a mixture of sweet and savory. The recipe can easily be increased to feed the multitudes that may be coming for holiday meals.

Moroccan cooks have perfected mixing meats with fruits and often nuts and getting just the right balance of sweet and savory. There are as many variations as there are people cooking these dishes and this is one more.

While I made this with chicken thighs on the bone and with the skin, you can use a whole chicken, cut up if you prefer. However, the thighs on the bone make this dish almost impossible to dry out or ruin so it is perfect for both the experienced and the novice cook and makes reheating a dream.

When I made this dish the first time it was a favorite of my husband’s. Tzimmes Chicken not only is a great make-ahead meal but it is also a one-pot meal! So less clean-up. And who doesn’t like that!? And if you don’t have sweet potato, use butternut squash or Kuri Red. You want to stretch it a bit, add some red or golden potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices.

As I will always preach, whenever possible, grind your own spices. The difference is huge. It’s also less wasteful since whole spices retain their flavor longer than the pre-ground ones that you buy in a jar.

When I make this for Shabbat or a Jewish holiday, I serve it along with salatim and dessert. But you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this delicious one-pot dinner.

For other tagine and harvest meals:

Chicken Tagine with Almonds and Apricots

Lamb Merguez and Chicken Tagine

Lamb Shank Tagine

Crockpot Chicken Tagine

Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Cilantro

Sweet and Spicy Harvest Chicken

Harvest Chicken (with Japanese Sweet Potato and Dried Fruits)

Vegetarian Tzimmes

Fruit and Vegetable Tzimmes – a perfect introduction to autumn

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 to 4 Tablespoons Avocado oil

About 2 pounds of chicken thighs with skin and on the bone

2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste (If you are using kosher chicken, you should add a little less)

3 teaspoons ground coriander, divided

1 rounded teaspoon ground cumin, divided

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks or quarter moon-shaped slices

3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch coins

1.5 cups dried fruits (I used a mix of pitted dates, apricots and cranberries. Prunes and other dried fruits would work as well.)

Zest of 1 medium lemon or orange

1.5 teaspoons grated or finely chopped fresh ginger root

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large pinch of your red pepper of choice (I like Aleppo pepper for it’s fruity heat)

1 large leek or onion, peeled and sliced into thin half moons

1 cup orange juice plus more if needed when reheating

1 cup red wine plus more if needed when reheating (I used a Pinot Noir)

1 Tablespoon Pomegranate Molasses, Silan (also known as date honey) or Tamarind (Optional)

Water or broth, if needed and you prefer not to use more wine or orange juice

For serving

A large handful of chopped fresh herbs such as cilantro, flat-leaf parsley and/or dill

DIRECTIONS

Pat dry the chicken and rub with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 teaspoons coriander, half of the cumin and all of the cracked black pepper. Place this in a bowl or Ziploc bag. This can be refrigerated overnight or for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare all of the remaining ingredients. Mix together the sweet potato, carrot, dried fruit, zest, hot pepper flakes, remaining spices and cinnamon stick with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt. You can always add salt towards the end so go easy.

In a Dutch Oven or heavy duty oven-safe casserole, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add as many pieces of chicken, skin side down as comfortably fit in a single layer without crowding. Brown on both sides (between 5 and 8 minutes each side). If doing this in batches, remove the browned chicken to a plate and repeat the process. Do not add more oil unless absolutely necessary to prevent burning. Remove the remaining chicken and set aside. This can be done in a separate pan from the one that will hold everything if you prefer, which is what I did. That way, if you used more oil than you want in the finished dish, you can just leave it in the pan when you remove the onions

Add the leeks or onion to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onions become soft and are golden around the edges. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute. If using a separate pan for the remainder of the cooking, transfer the onions and garlic to the bottom of the Dutch Oven.

Place the chicken on top of the onion mixture. If you are making a lot, place only 1/2 of the chicken pieces. Top with the vegetables and fruits. (If doing it layers, divide the vegetable and fruit mixture so they end up on top.

Pour the orange juice, pomegranate molasses, if using, and wine over everything until most of the ingredients are submerged. Don’t drown the mixture! If you require a little more liquid, add any of your options.

Bring everything to a boil and then cover the Dutch Oven and place it into the oven for 1 hour. At this point, the dish is finished but it can be cooled and refrigerated for later use. Taste to adjust any seasoning and make sure that the pan hasn’t gone dry before reheating. Reheat at 325 degrees F. Enjoy!

Any leftovers can be frozen or will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

Vegetable Soup in Under an Hour

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

It’s starting to look like autumn around here. The days are already shorter and some of the trees have begun losing their leaves. So while we still have warm days, my thoughts for dinner are turning back to hot soup to go with fresh bread. This Vegetable Soup in Under an Hour is delicious, nutritious and fast to make. The recipe does not require exact measurements and you can have homemade soup on the table in under an hour.

My husband and I eat soup of all kinds throughout the year. And many are hearty enough to be a meal in itself with some good bread and occasionally a salad. This may sound strange, but when I have a pot of soup on the stove, I feel a measure of calm even in this troubled world we are experiencing. A pot of delicious soup means safety. And the act of preparing it, chopping the vegetables is a form of meditation for me.

While we eat almost all of our meals at home, I don’t always do a lot of planning ahead of time. However, I still want something healthy and delicious even if we have been out all day. So when I came across this soup on YouTube, I thought I would give it a try with a few of my own tweaks, of course. It came together quickly and my husband’s comment when he tried it was “Wow, I could die happy.” Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but he tends towards the dramatic at times.

Vegetable Soup in Under an Hour can be doubled or tripled if you either have a bigger family or like having left-overs. There is no fancy knife-work necessary because everything will be pureed with an immersion blender. No need to weigh ingredients and you can use canned chickpeas and vegetable stock, although I prefer to make my own. There is nothing fussy here. And while the soup tastes rich and creamy, it’s actually low in calories and very healthy so enjoy it guilt-free!

There are lots of delicious soup recipes on my blog, both hot and cold. And now here is one more. Try it soon.

RECIPE

Yield: 3 to 4 generous servings

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons of a neutral oil (I used Avocado)

1 crown of broccoli cut into smallish florets

1 onion or 1 large leek, coarsely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

3 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 large Bell pepper, cut into large dice

1 large stalk of celery, coarsely chopped

1 Quart of vegetable stock

200g of cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 1.5 cups)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt to taste (It will depend on both your preference as well as whether you used a salted stock.)

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1 large Bay Leaf

1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, basil and thyme

A large handful of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro or a mix

About 100ml of full-fat coconut milk or non-dairy cream

For the Garnish

1/3 cup of cooked chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry

1 Tablespoon of neutral oil

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Either: Some chili flakes or Aleppo pepper and Sumac (I went with Aleppo pepper and Sumac)

DIRECTIONS

In a 5 quart soup pot (or larger) add the 2 Tablespoons of oil and heat until shimmering over medium high heat.

Add the onions and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes or until softened but barely beginning to brown.

Then add the carrot, celery, Bell Pepper, garlic and 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Continue cooking until the vegetables have all softened but not browned.

Mix through the chickpeas, broccoli florets, dried herbs and spices. Add the vegetable stock. It should just about cover the vegetables. If necessary, add a little water just to cover. Bring everything to a boil and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

While the soup is cooking away, add 1 Tablespoon of oil to a small skillet, preferably non-stick. When the oil is hot, add the chickpeas and seasoning and sauté until lightly browned. SEt this aside for the garnish.

When the soup has finished cooking, use an immersion blender to puree everything. I like a bit of texture but how smooth you make it is up to you. Then add the coconut milk or non-dairy cream along with a handful of chopped parsley or cilantro. Puree for another minute. THAT’S IT! You now have soup! Serve garnished with some of the seasoned chickpeas and a scattering of chopped fresh herbs. Don’t forget the bread.

Baingan Bharta

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Baingan Bharta is a hit with us for two simple reasons: eggplant and Indian food. And it is also vegan and gluten free. Oh, yes, very, very delicious.

I had only ever eaten Baingan Bharta in an Indian restaurant and it always was a favorite option. So when I saw this recipe by Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life, I was excited to give it a try. It worked perfectly. Now a key to making this dish sing is properly smoking the eggplant (aubergine).

Baingan Bharta is a great side dish as part of an Indian feast, but works equally well with grilled meats or fish. If you haven’t tried it but love eggplant, this is a great dish to add to your repertoire. It can be made ahead and reheated which is always a plus in my book.

Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients. If you like Mediterranean and South Asian foods, you will be using all of these spices over and over again.

If you don’t have either a gas range or a grill, you can prepare the eggplant under a broiler. The resulting dish will be very good, but a little less so. A trick that I learned to improve the smokiness when you don’t have a gas stove, is to include small bits of the skin that blistered and crackled in the oven. And while your range will require a little clean-up, the final product makes it so worthwhile.

Blistered eggplant transforms the fruit’s (Yes, Virginia, this is technically a fruit) texture to a creamy, rich, almost spreadable wonder. 

RECIPE

Yield: About 4 generous servings as a side

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons neutral-flavored oil (I like avocado or canola)

1 medium or two smaller eggplants between 1 to 1.5 pounds in total

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 medium onion, red or yellow, finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 small serrano pepper, seeds removed (Unless you like a lot of heat) and finely chopped

1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated (TIP: Freeze fresh ginger root. It lasts a long time and makes grating very easy.)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

2 medium tomatoes (ideally Roma or plum tomatoes, but any work), finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Prick the eggplant all over with a fork. This will prevent it from exploding. If you have a gas stovetop or a grill, place the eggplant directly over the flame as pictured above, using tongs to turn it frequently. Do this until the eggplant skin is blistered all over and the eggplant begins to collapse on itself. If you do not have a gas flame, place the eggplant on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler for 30 to 40 minutes, turning frequently. When done, move the eggplant to a cutting board. (SEE the photos above)

Once the eggplant has cooled a bit, carefully peel off most, but not all of the blistered skin and set aside. Then chop or mash the flesh to break it all apart. (TIP: because so many eggplants have a lot of seeds these days, I suggest that you place the mashed eggplant in a fine mesh sieve and press down on it. This will release the bitter juices and also will keep the finished dish from being too watery. It won’t remove the seeds, but they won’t get in the way of enjoying the dish.)

Heat the oil in a 9 or 10-inch non-stick or well-seasoned skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering add the cumin seeds and cook for one minute to bloom the spice. Move the seeds frequently to prevent burning.

Add the onions with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook for about 5 minutes. You want them to soften but not brown.

Then add the garlic, serrano peppers and turmeric, stirring frequently for 60 to 90 seconds.

Next comes the coriander, remaining salt and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes with the pan covered and then an additional 5 minutes uncovered. The tomatoes should be softened and almost jammy.

Once the tomatoes are jammy, add the chopped or mashed eggplant and Kashmiri Chili and mix everything through until well combined. Cook on medium-low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Now enjoy!

Vegetarian Borscht

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Growing up we ate three cold soups in the summertime: my mother’s wonderful gazpacho, schav, and borscht, both of which came in a jar from Manischewitz and are loved by Ashkenazi Jews. If my mother was being a bit fancy, she would blend the borscht and sour cream in a blender, reserving a few borscht matchsticks for garnish. The soup became a gorgeous deep pink and we couldn’t wait to take a spoonful.

The borscht and schav would be served on hot summer nights with a generous dollop of sour cream and slices of dark rye bread. This Vegetarian Borscht is perfect for lighter summer meals and can be eaten as a first course or a light main dish. If you choose to use a non-dairy sour cream or yogurt the dish is vegan and pareve.

You can, of course, serve this version of borscht hot as well, which I did the day I made it. I still served it with a dollop of our homemade yogurt, some dill and my breadsticks. It was a huge hit with my husband.

This borscht is made from beets and as anyone who follows my blog knows, I LOVE beets in all of its many forms. “Beetroots are a good source of nutrients, fiber, and many plant compounds. The health benefits of this vegetable include improved heart health, the ability to reduce blood pressure, and enhanced exercise capacity.” While beets come in varying colors and varieties, red beets are the best in this recipe. The resulting color of the soup is a rich, deep garnet that simply invites you to dig in.

This Vegetarian Borscht is a perfect summer soup, but there are also heartier winter versions which are only served hot and generally have a meat base. Borscht’s origins are from Ukraine, Russia and Poland where beets were plentiful and where the root vegetables used could be stored for the winter when fresh vegetables were scarce. It is generally described as a sour soup, although Jews from Poland often added a bit of sugar along with the lemon juice for a sweet and sour finish. And since that is where my mother’s family was from, I have added sugar to this version.

If you are looking for an easy, inexpensive and delicious summer soup, you cannot go wrong with this Vegetarian Borscht. The recipe began from Serious Eats, but the tweaks, short-cuts and suggestions are mine. The short-cuts will make this soup come together even more quickly. And don’t get bogged down in exact amounts. A little more cabbage, onions, beets and/or carrots will not spoil the soup.

Serve it with a dollop of sour cream, thick yogurt or unsweetened creme fraiche, dairy or non-dairy.

RECIPE

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 medium to large raw beets (beetroot), scrubbed and cut into matchsticks (you can reserve a small piece to grate into the soup at the end, although I didn’t)

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks OR use an 8 to 10 oz. bag of pre-cut matchstick carrots

1 pound white cabbage (It’s really light green, but called “white.” Go figure!), cut thinly into shreds (Sometimes you can find shredded cabbage in the produce isle. If you own a mandoline, it takes seconds to finely shred a cabbage, especially if someone else, like my husband, does it for you. It also made fast work of match-sticking the beets)

2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil

8 cups (2 quarts or liters) vegetable stock (I make my own because I don’t happen to like commercial vegetable stock and it is so easy, but feel free to use it if there is brand that you like.)

Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar or more to taste (Optional)

Kosher Salt to taste (How much you use will depend on the stock. If you are using a commercial, salted stock, you will use less than an unsalted stock. Remember, to start with a smaller amount, in any case. You can always add salt but it is almost impossible to reduce the amount once added to the dish.)

Coarsely ground black pepper (This is personal preference. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more if you like.)

Sour cream, thick plain yogurt or unsweetened creme fraiche (dairy or non-dairy alternatives)

Finely chopped dill, parsley or chives (optional, for garnish)

Directions

Sauté onions, carrots, and beets over medium heat in the olive oil with a a teaspoon of salt in a large soup pot. Stir and turn over the vegetables occasionally for even cooking.

In the meantime, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. When the vegetables have softened (10 to 12 minutes), add the shredded cabbage and the hot stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Because my onions seemed to be particularly strong, I actually simmered the soup longer.

(The borscht can be served this way or you could take about half of the soup and blend it until smooth in the blender or using an immersion blender for a thicker, creamier final product. This can be done with added sour cream or yogurt or without. The color will either be a deep garnet or a beautiful pink. I blended it without the yogurt when I served it hot.)

Season to taste with salt and pepper, then squeeze in the lemon juice, aiming for a pleasing but subtle sour taste. Since I used an unsalted vegetable stock, I found that I needed a fair amount of salt. For what ended up being a 6 quart pot of soup, I added 1 Tablespoon of Diamond Kosher salt. If you are using table salt or Morton’s kosher salt you could use less. I also found that I needed to pump up the sour by adding some apple cider vinegar to the lemon juice. And to get that exact right balance of sweet to sour, I added a few teaspoons of granulated sugar. In addition to personal preference, some beets are just sweeter than others and some onions are stronger. So taste and don’t be afraid to make some adjustments.

Serve with freshly ground black pepper, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and chopped dill, chives or parsley, if desired.

NOTE:

Since it is highly unlikely that there were fresh lemons available in the winter in the Pale of Settlement, my guess is that sour salt or apple cider vinegar was used to produce the subtle sour taste. I use it in my Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup.

Smoky Eggplant Dal

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I recently posted a recipe for a delicious Butternut Squash Curry, pictured above. My husband absolutely loved it. And I served it along with basmati rice and this Smoky Eggplant Dal. Both recipes came from Jamie Oliver‘s fertile mind. While neither dish is a completely authentic Indian dish, they definitely pay homage to the wonderful variety of South Asian cuisine.

The trick to making this dish special is properly blistering the eggplant. This technique also makes for the best Baba Ghanoush you will ever eat. If you do not have access to a gas stovetop or grill, this can be prepared in a broiler. It will still be delicious – just a bit less so, since that smokiness will not be as present.

Smoky Eggplant Dal can be made ahead and will keep refrigerated for a week. It reheats beautifully. Served with rice and/or naan and this is a healthy protein-rich, vegan meal of its own. Photos of dal do not even begin to do justice to the taste. So if you are a fan of Indian cuisine, there will not be any need to convince you to try this. And if you are either not familiar with dal, in general, or think that you dislike eggplant, please give this a try anyway. I hope that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Blistered eggplant transforms the fruit’s (Yes, Virginia, this is technically a fruit) texture to a creamy, rich, almost spreadable wonder. In this dal, you are not aware that is it there – only that this tastes delicious. And if you don’t wish to do an entire Indian dinner, this dal also makes a wonderful side dish to any roasted meat.

While I have listed amounts, don’t get too bogged down. A little more of the eggplant or the beans and the dish will still be wonderful.

RECIPE

YIELD: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large or two smaller eggplants (also called aubergine in many places) (Look for eggplants with a good skin and not too fat. Many eggplants we get these days have a lot of seeds, so try for an eggplant that weighs about a pound to 1.5 pounds.)

1 chilli of choice – serrano, jalapeno, Fresno etc.

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled

1 medium red onion (although yellow onion works as well)

2 cardamom pods – preferably black cardamom, which additional smokiness, but you can use green if that is all you have

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds

1 sprig of rosemary (I know, but it works!)

1 Tablespoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar

1 400g or 15 oz. can of black beans (DO NOT drain)

200g of lentils (Pardina, du Puy, brown, Beluga)

1 large cinnamon stick

DIRECTIONS

Prick the eggplant all over with a fork. This will prevent it from exploding. If you have a gas stovetop or a grill, place the eggplant directly over the flame as pictured above, using tongs to turn it frequently. Do this until the eggplant skin is blistered all over and the eggplant begins to collapse on itself. If you do not have a gas flame, place the eggplant on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler for 30 to 40 minutes, turning frequently. When done, move the eggplant to a cutting board.

Once the eggplant has cooled a bit, carefully peel off most, but not all of the blistered skin and set aside.

Halve the chilli lengthwise and remove the seeds. If you like things spicy, you can leave the seeds, but I do not. If you have never worked with hot chillis, a word to the wise, wear gloves and DO NOT touch your eyes afterwards! Peel and finely slice the garlic, then peel and finely chop the onion. Crush the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and remove the outer shells, then pound up the seeds. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use a rolling pin, meat tenderizer or cast iron pan to whack it. I would place a towel as a cushion under a board to spare your countertop and ears.)

Place a large (10 to 12 inches) non-stick frying pan on a medium low heat with 1 Tablespoon of neutral olive, Avocado or other neutral oil. Add the cumin, cardamom and mustard seeds.

Strip the rosemary from the stem and add that to the pan as well. Allow the herbs and spices to sizzle and infuse the oil for a few minutes. Then add the chilli, garlic and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened, stirring regularly. Chop the peeled eggplant into 1-inch chunks and add it, along with any bits of blistered skin, to the pan as well, with 1 Tablespoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar.

Allow everything to sizzle for a couple of minutes, then pour in the black beans, with their liquid and 600 ml (A little more than 20 oz.) of water. Now here’s the slightly tricky part. Set one end of the cinnamon stick on fire and then place it in the center of the pan. Quickly cover the pan with a tight lid. This will add smokiness as well to the dal. Cook the mixture on a medium low heat for about an hour until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Add splashes of water, if necessary (I didn’t need to) to loosen the mixture and to keep it from sticking. Season with salt and pepper. Now enjoy!

Butternut Squash Curry

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 2 Comments

My husband and I enjoy a good curry for dinner and this Butternut Squash Curry is absolutely wonderful. It’s so easy to make a delicious, satisfying and nutritious vegan meal with the right ingredients. I served this along with Basmati rice and a Smoky Eggplant Dal that I had made a few days previously. (Watch for the recipe coming soon.) Both of these dishes can be made ahead and reheated with no loss of flavor which makes them perfect to have in your fridge for those busy nights when cooking is the last thing that you want to do.

Because these dishes are spice-dependent, be sure to use only fresh spices. Whenever possible, grind your own. Whole spices last longer than pre-ground and the final product is so much better. Coffee or spice grinders are relatively inexpensive and you’d be surprised at how quickly you can create your own spice blends.

When I think of Butternut Squash, I generally think of autumn or winter. However, these days you can find many of what would otherwise be out of season fruits and vegetables. The other ingredients are all pantry staples for me. And if you enjoy South Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, you likely have many of these ingredients on hand as well.

The original recipe comes from Jamie Oliver. I enjoy his approach to food and his creativity, although his energy can be a bit exhausting at times. Nevertheless, I have taken several of his recipes, tweaked them a bit and have found them to be reliably good. Now I am not one of those food bloggers who thinks that everything is AMAZING! Nor do I think that everything has to be in order to enjoy making it and eating it. This, however, was a big hit in our house and will definitely be added to my make again revolving roster of dishes.

Butternut Squash Curry could be made with other squashes such as Red Kuri Squash or even sweet potatoes; however, depending on the squash you use, the skin may need to be removed before adding to the curry, unlike with butternut squash. This, as with most curries, should be served with rice and/or naan. You definitely want something to absorb all of that lovely sauce, as well as adding the necessary bulk to round out the meal.

The squash when roasted has a velvety texture with a natural sweetness that is the perfect foil for the spices. This curry is a winner and I hope that you will try it and let me know how it goes in the comments below.

RECIPE

Yield: About 6 servings depending on sides

INGREDIENTS

1 large butternut squash (about 1.2 kg) (Try to get squash that is relatively straight without a large bulb at the end. The bulb is hollow with seeds and you will end up with a smaller amount of squash than would be in a straighter, narrower squash.)

EVOO or Avocado oil

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly smashed

Fresh ginger root – about 4 cm, piece, peeled and left whole

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 rounded teaspoon of coriander seeds

1.5 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves (This beautiful herb, also known as Kasuri methi, has a slight bitterness with maple syrup undertones. It can be used as a seed, fresh or dried and is prevalent in Indian cooking. Do not try to substitute it with anything else.)

Rounded teaspoon of your favorite curry powder

1 teaspoon of Rajasthani chilli powder (Mirchi) (This gives a fragrant, medium heat. I love it and use it a lot, but if you don’t wish to buy it, you could add in ground red pepper to your desired level of heat.)

300g of ripe cherry or grape tomatoes left whole

2 rings of canned pineapple in juice or its equivalent in chunks

400ml of coconut milk

400g of cooked or canned chickpeas with some of the cooking liquid

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the skin of the squash and halve the squash lengthwise. Make sure to use a sharp knife and cut through the bulbous hollow part first to make it easier. Scoop out the seeds and that gooky stuff that sticks to the seeds. Feel free to wash, dry and roast the seeds or otherwise discard them. Cut the squash into approximately 2 cm. chunks, skin and all.

Place in a roasting pan in a single layer without crowding and drizzle with about 1.5 Tablespoons of EVOO or Avocado oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Roast for 40 minutes to an hour or until softened and a lovely browned golden color.

While the squash is roasting, dry fry the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, coriander and curry powder in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, stirring until everything is lightly charred and the spices have “bloomed.”

Now add the whole tomatoes and the pineapple and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened and some have burst open and the pineapple has taken on some color. I like to gently scrape the pan with a wooden spatula to get up all of those lovely brown bits.

Remove the pan from the heat and put everything into a blender. Don’t wash the pan since you will be using it in a minute. Add the coconut milk and blitz until smooth. If the ingredients are still quite hot, place a towel over the top of the blender to prevent any possible volcanic activity. I didn’t have a problem, but I guess it can happen.

Once you have a smooth sauce, pour it back into the pan and add in the chickpeas and the liquid from the can. If you have cooked your own, add in about a cup of the liquid. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of slat and the fenugreek leaves. Bring the pan to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a bit.

Add in the roasted squash and gently stir it through the sauce. Cook on simmer for about 30 minutes. At this point, it is ready to serve or you can place it covered in the fridge for several days to reheat when needed.

Lasagna with Eggplant

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I know that eggplant is a controversial vegetable, beginning with the fact that it technically is a berry and, therefore, a fruit. It is a mystery to me how people can say with certainty that they “hate” eggplant or aubergine as it’s known in most parts of the world. Eggplant can be made at least 100 different ways, so for those of you out there who claim to hate eggplant, don’t give up trying it. My Lasagna with Eggplant and seasoned beef crumbles is “meaty” and delicious. The eggplant is tender and slightly sweet and is perfectly cooked to absorb all of the other flavors in the dish.

This version is vegetarian, since I use real cheese and, therefore, perfect for a Shavuot meal. The vegan crumbles could be left out entirely if you prefer. It could also be made using vegan cheese which renders the dish vegan instead of vegetarian. While my husband and I have grown to like some of the vegan meat substitutes, so far the cheeses haven’t quite hit the mark for me.

Lasagna with Eggplant reduces the fat and cholesterol of standard lasagna without compromising on flavor. There is no rich ricotta cheese used so this lasagna feels lighter and is lighter. The eggplant, however, adds a silky, meaty element. It also comes together quickly using ready-made sauce. There are so many good ones out there that I rarely ever make my own anymore. Could this be made using real sausage or ground beef or turkey? Of course. But not only is this version healthier, it complies with the laws of kashrut, unless you are of the tradition that eating this gives the world a false impression that you are mixing meat and milk.

My Lasagna with Eggplant was made using a tomato sauce; however, you could use a béchamel sauce if you prefer. To keep it vegan, use an unsweetened non-dairy milk such as oat, cashew or soy. I would not recommend using almond milk as it is too thin. And while the lasagna looks and tastes cheesy, I used only about 8 oz. of cheese for the entire pan, with majority being on the top.

As with all lasagnas, this can be made ahead and rewarmed. It can even be frozen, so it’s perfect for when you know that you have a busy week coming up. The only thing that I would change from the lasagna that I made is I would not use fresh lasagna sheets again. This is a personal preference, but the texture for me was a bit gummy. I much prefer the no-boil lasagna sheets that have made making lasagna an easy dish to throw together. But you do you. And if you are a purest who insists on boiling your own noodles, go for it. I just don’t see a need to complicate a dish when the rewards are slim to non-existent.

Give this Lasagna with Eggplant a try and see if it doesn’t tick all the pasta boxes in a lighter but oh so satisfying version. I served it with roasted asparagus, homemade pickles and bread and fresh fruit for dessert. Perfect. Well, okay, maybe there were a few cookies along side the fruit….

RECIPE

YIELD: About 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

About 4 Tablespoons of EVOO

3 eggplants, about 1 pound each

10 oz. ground “meat” crumbles

12 ounces fresh lasagna sheets or 9 ounces dried “No-Boil” lasagna sheets

32 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce (Fresh lasagna and no-boil lasagna sheets require extra sauce in order to cook properly.)

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 sweet or hot pepper, finely chopped

Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 rounded teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

About 8 oz. of your favorite cheeses, grated on the large holes or pre-packaged (Use some cheese that melts well such as mozzarella or scamorza and mix with cheese with more flavor such as pecorino, asiago, parmesan. There are many packages of Italian or Pizza mix cheeses if you don’t want to grate your own.) And if you choose to use more cheese, it’s your lasagna.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the eggplants into planks and lay them out on a tray or cutting board. Liberally sprinkle them with salt and allow them to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This will make the eggplants sweat and removes any bitterness. Once they are sweating, blot the eggplants with paper towels or a tea towel. This will remove any excess salt as well as any potentially bitter liquid in the eggplant.

Then lay the eggplant on top of parchment on a baking tray. Very lightly brush or spray the eggplant with EVOO or avocado oil. Roast for about 20 minutes or until they take on a little color and become pliable. There is no need to turn them over. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly before assembling the lasagna. The eggplant will continue cooking in the lasagna. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.

While the eggplant roasts, add about 2 Tablespoons of EVOO to a medium sauté pan. Throw in your onions, garlic and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and mix that through. Once the vegetables have started to soften, add the “beef” crumbles, the parsley and the oregano and basil. Stir everything together and sauté for another 5 to 8 minutes, adding a bit more EVOO if it looks a little dry. If you want to add a good splash of red wine, I won’t tell. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside until you are ready to assemble.

You will want to use a 9 X 13-inch pan or its equivalent. You’ve all seen pans of lasagna. Layer in about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of your sauce. Then depending on the lasagna you use, lay down one layer of the pasta sheets, pushing them into the sauce. Sprinkle lightly with some cheese. Then layer in some of the eggplant planks. Add on top half of the “meat” and more sauce to cover.

Then cheese. Repeat, making one more layer and end with a layer of pasta sheets, sauce and all remaining cheese. I like to drizzle the cheese with a bit of EVOO but its up to you.

Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. The top should be nicely browned and the cheese should be melted and a bit oozy. Allow the lasagna to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. If you are not serving it right away, lightly cover it with parchment or waxed paper. Once cooled, it can be covered with foil over the parchment and refrigerated or frozen. Reheat in a 325 degree oven.

Spinach Potato Leek Pashtida

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

My husband’s sister is in town for a conference and we were able to get together at our house this past Sunday for lunch. I have a pathological need to try something new when we are having company over. Usually I then stress over it until everyone has finished eating seconds and I know that it was a success. This time was much more low-key – or maybe I’m just older. I wanted a luncheon that could be eaten at room temperature since my sister-in-law was flying in and you never can tell if flights will be on time. The main course also had to look great, taste great and not make you feel guilty when dessert rolled around.

While scrolling on line I came across a recipe that looked as if it fit the bill. The measurements were not given exactly and the directions only came when watching the video. With a lot of experience, I knew that I could adapt this. My husband had just baked a beautiful sourdough bread, there was my Baba Ghanoush in the fridge and I made another new dip called Muhamarra, which I adapted from Adeena Sussman’s cookbook Sababa. I added my Sunshine Kale Salad to round things out. The salad is so pretty, delicious, easy to make and should be made ahead! Dessert was my Mixed Berry Galette served with a lightly sweetened Crème fraîche.

The Spinach Potato Leek Pashtida is a wonderful anytime recipe. It’s perfect for a brunch, lunch or light summer dinner. And by swapping out the cornstarch with potato starch, it can be Kosher for Passover, which is coming up shortly.

So what exactly is a Pashtida? Some people say it’s like a crustless quiche, but I think it’s more like a frittata on steroids. Truly a versatile dish that can be wonderful for clearing out your vegetable drawer. The Spinach Potato Leek Pashtida, if made exactly as written works perfectly and makes a great presentation with limited effort. Of course, you can swap out onion for the leek or oregano for the dill, but try it once as you see it below before you start making changes. This is one of those recipes that you want to have in your back pocket.

RECIPE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings depending on what sides you serve

INGREDIENTS

3 potatoes (450 g) – Golden or Red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

3 to 4 Tablespoons EVOO or Avocado Oil

1 large or 2 small leeks, washed well, trimmed, and thinly sliced (I use the white and light green part. You want about 2 cups loosely packed.)

½ of a large Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into a 1-inch dice (Any color pepper will work, but I would use a red or orange if you can purely for the visual effect.)

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried dill

4 to 5 oz. fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided and cracked black pepper to taste

Ricotta or farmer’s cheese 180 g (Try to use a whole milk cheese.)

Cornstarch or Potato Starch 50 g (5 tablespoons)

Shredded Cheese 100 g (You could use a sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Asiago, Parmesan, Pecorino or a combination.)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. or 180 Celsius.

Place the oil in a large skillet and on medium heat, add the diced potatoes and sauté until the potatoes begin to become translucent.

Add in the leeks and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.

Once the potatoes and leeks have softened, add in the bell pepper and mix through. Continue cooking while you chop the spinach.

Once the spinach is chopped, add it to the pan with the potatoes, leeks and peppers. Add in ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of paprika and the dill. Mix everything through to distribute evenly all the ingredients. Cover the pan and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes or just until the spinach is wilted. (I used the smoked paprika. You could also add in other dried herbs such as dill, thyme or oregano, if you wish.)

As soon as the potato spinach mixture is finished cooking, remove the pan from the heat and transfer everything into a large clean bowl.

Add in the ricotta cheese and mix through thoroughly.

Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Whisk to incorporate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Pour the eggs over the vegetable cheese mixture in the bowl.

Mix in the cornstarch. Once the cornstarch is incorporated, add the grated cheese and mix it through.

Line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment and lightly oil the parchment. (A tip for easily getting the parchment to fit the pan. Wet the parchment and crumple it. Now it will be malleable and can easily be made to fit into the corners of your pan. It also keeps the parchment that sticks out from burning in the oven!

Pour the mixture into the pan and gently push it down and into the corners to remove any air. You can also lightly tap the pan on the counter. Once the mixture is in the pan evenly, bake it for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the pashtida starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and no longer jiggles. It’s kind of hard to dry this out, so err on the side of baking it a tad longer if you are unsure if it is done. If you are using Fahrenheit, the pashtida will likely take the longer time since 180 degrees C is a little hotter than 350 degrees F.

Turn the pashtida out onto a cutting board or serving platter and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it. The pashtida can be served warm or at room temperature. I served it with a light salad and muhamarra and a crusty sourdough bread that my husband had baked.

Springtime Lentil Stew

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Springtime Lentil Stew is a light and luscious one-pot meal. It is the perfect antidote to heavier winter fare. This very healthy and delicious stew takes advantage of the early asparagus now appearing in our stores. Since there are so many lovely vegetables in the Springtime Lentil Stew, nothing more is needed than a good crusty loaf of bread, some seasonal fruit and nice glass of rosé.

Much of the stew can be made ahead, although the whole dish comes together in under an hour. I would love to take credit for thinking up this dish, but I actually came across it in a flyer from our local Mariano’s Grocery Store. Since the recipe had so many ingredients that I had on hand and love, I decided it was worth a try. Of course, I made a few slight alterations to the recipe – mostly just boosting the seasonings. It was a big hit with my husband, a recovering carnivore.

Spring represents renewal and hope, something that we need more of now than anytime in the past 76 years. So give this easy, nutritious and delicious stew a try. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

RECIPE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 Tablespoons EVOO or other vegetable oil such as Avocado or Canola

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, chopped (I like to see my vegetables so I cut rounds and half moons, but feel free to dice the carrot if you prefer.)

2 ribs of celery or fennel, sliced

8 oz. of mushrooms, quartered (I used Baby Bella, but Cremini, Trumpet or white mushrooms would work as well.)

1 rounded teaspoon of dried thyme

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

4 to 5 cups of vegetable broth (I had just made some vegetable broth, but a good quality commercial broth works well too.)

1.25 cups of green lentils, well-rinsed and drained

1 large bay leaf

1 3-inch strip of fresh lemon peel

1 pound of small potatoes, quartered (I used Golden potatoes, but Baby Red Bliss potatoes or whatever local variety you have.)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch

2 Tablespoons of water or broth

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed of the woody parts of the stems and cut into about 1 to 2-inch pieces

1 cup of green peas (Frozen is fine)

Juice of half of a lemon

Chopped parsley and/or dill for garnish and an extra herbaceous kick

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large pot or deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme.

Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are browned and there are some brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Only stir the vegetables occasionally or they won’t brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute or until fragrant.

Add 4 cups of the vegetable stock/broth, lentils, bay leaf and lemon peel. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. They will cook some more, so they can be al dente.

Add the potatoes, cover the pan and simmer or 10 to 12 minutes. Use the lesser amount if you are making the dish ahead at this point. When you are ready to finish the dish, you may wish to add some of the additional vegetable broth for reheating.

Once you are ready to finish cooking, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add the asparagus, peas and cornstarch mixture and stir through.

Cover the pan and simmer another 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the asparagus are crisp/tender. Remove the pot from the heat and add in the lemon juice. Serve the stew sprinkled with the fresh herbs. Now enjoy!

Mushroom Lovers Pasta

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

If you are not a mushroom lover, stop reading now. But, if you are like me and love mushrooms in all shapes, sizes and varieties, then this Mushroom Lovers Pasta is for you. The sauce is creamy and luscious and coats every inch of pasta. The leeks and garlic just melt into the sauce and become one with the pasta. Topped with some chopped fresh dill for a bit of grassiness and this recipe will please all of the mushroom lovers among you. And while it is vegan, no one would know if you didn’t tell them.

I found the original recipe through Rainbow Plant Life, a vegan blog that I like to follow. It was called Mushroom Stroganoff. However, in general, I think it is a mistake to call vegan dishes after what would otherwise be a meat dish. My belief is that it should be enjoyed on its own terms with a few exceptions. And, frankly, I hadn’t eaten real Stroganoff in a number of years and didn’t feel confident that this replicated the taste and mouthfeel. But it is delicious which is why I am happy to offer it here.

Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life is a very enthusiastic proponent of vegan cooking and she has some wonderful ideas. My personal experience with several of her recipes, though, is that they are fussier than necessary. I think of her as the Ottolenghi of vegan cooking. Where one bowl would suffice, she will use four etc. So, while I did prepare this recipe as she wrote it, I would simplify some of the steps.

For one, I don’t understand the scare tactics that some cooks use when talking about cleaning mushrooms and leeks. It’s just not that big of a deal, guys. I have heard of some people putting leeks through a dishwasher cycle to get them clean! Where do they buy their produce? I have been cooking for over 50 years and no one has EVER complained that my leeks or mushrooms were gritty. So please relax and don’t be put off by recipes that go into great detail about cleaning these vegetables.

Years ago my daughter-in-law was visiting when I made my Kale Sunshine Salad. Frances loved it but said that she was put off making it because of how much work it was to de-rib the kale as described by some cook she was following. I showed her a quick and easy way to do it and she has never looked back. Cooking should be fun. And if you are feeding a family, it also shouldn’t take all day.

So this Mushroom Lovers Pasta is essentially Nisha’s Mushroom Stroganoff with a few simple hacks. And while I happened to have made some homemade vegetable stock, feel free to use a commercial brand that you like. And if strictly adhering to a vegan diet isn’t essential, chicken stock works well here too.

There are many, many types of noodles on the markets these days. And we do eat a lot of lentil pastas, which have come a long way. But I had some egg noodle at home and that is what I used. Almost any pasta would work well with this delicious sauce.

So let’s make some pasta for dinner!

RECIPE

Yield: About 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil or a mix of EVOO and Avocado, divided

2 large leeks or 3 small-medium leeks

20 ounces of mixed mushrooms after trimming, which means buying about 24 ounces (~560g) (I used Baby Bella, Shitake, Oyster Blue and Royal Trumpet)

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) (I used regular Worcestershire Sauce because that is what I have and a vegan dish with small cheats doesn’t bother me, but you do you.)

¼ cup (~30g) all-purpose flour

½ cup (~120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or a non-oaky Chardonnay

1 (13.5 ounce) (400 ml) can of full-fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard or coarse-grain mustard

12 ounces (340g) pasta of choice (I actually used an egg pasta, but feel free to use an eggless pasta)

¼ cup fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Prep everything before you start cooking! It took me years to do this and it truly does make the entire process easier and smoother.

For the mushrooms: Using a damp paper towel, gently wipe off any obvious dirt from the mushrooms. Do NOT soak the mushrooms; they are like sponges and it will ruin the dish! Remove any stems that don’t look great. I just grab the end and give it a wiggle and twist and it pops right out. If you do make your own vegetable stock, these can be saved and frozen until you are ready to use.

For Oyster, Maitake and Trumpet mushrooms, tearing them lengthwise is the simpler than cutting them. For Baby Bellas and Shitake, cut them into slices – not too thin. The mushrooms give the “meaty” mouthfeel to the dish.

For the leeks: Cut off the tough root end at the tip of the white part. Take a sharp knife and make a deep slit vertically down the middle of the leek. Rinse well under lukewarm water while gently pulling the leek partially open. Any dirt will be obvious and you can use your finger or a paper towel to wash it off. And when you are cutting the leek, if a bit of dirt shows up, just wipe it off. If the leeks are large, slice all the way through your cut line. Then chop the leek into pieces that are about 1/2-inch wide.

A lot of people only use the white part. I think that is incredibly wasteful and unnecessary. Peel off the really tough, very dark leaves as you go, but keep chopping through the lighter green leaves and use that as well.

Once you have all of your other ingredients out on your counter, you are ready to start cooking.

In a 12-inch skillet with 3-inch sides (or a Dutch Oven) heat 1.5 Tablespoons of oil. I used a mix of Avocado and EVOO. Either or both are fine. Once the oil is shimmering, add half of the mushrooms and half of the leeks. Sprinkle with half of the thyme (I used dried) and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Coat everything with the oil but then don’t stir them too much. You want to do this on a medium high heat. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the mushrooms are nicely browned.

Then add half of the garlic and cook for another few minutes. The edges of the mushrooms should be very brown and just bordering on beginning to crisp. Remove the mushroom leek mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Repeat this with the remaining mushrooms, leeks, garlic etc. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the wine and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon, scraping up any of the wonderful brown bits in the pan.

While the second batch of mushrooms is cooking, make your roux. To the vegetable broth, add the Dijon mustard, tamari or soy, Worcestershire sauce and the flour, whisking continuously until you have a smooth mixture. Add this to the mushrooms in the pan, whisking as you go to ensure that there are no lumps. Bring everything to a simmer and add the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the paprika. Simmer over a low heat for about 8 minutes until the sauce is thickened, silky and creamy.

Cook your pasta according to the package instructions while the mushroom sauce simmers. Before draining the pasta, take off a couple of ladles of the starchy pasta water. Once the pasta has drained, add it to the sauce and mix everything through. If it looks a bit too thick or “tight” add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time until the desired consistency.

When you plate the pasta, add some of the reserved mushroom leek mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with the chopped fresh dill.

Now enjoy!

NOTE: If you don’t care about the presentation aspect too much, simply add back the reserved mushroom leek mixture to the pasta and mix through.