From Savoring France, by Georgeanne Brennan
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 small yellow or white onions, chopped
2 eggplants (I use the big, pear-shaped ones), cut into 1-inch cubes
4-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large bell peppers (any color will do)
8-10 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (I'm lazy, so I substitute canned)
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
In a large pot, warm oil over medium heat. When hot, reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add eggplant and garlic and saute, stirring often, until the eggplant is slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini and bell peppers and continue to saute until softened, another 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and spices and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and have somewhat blended together, about 40 minutes. Stir in the basil and remove from heat.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Black bean and corn soup
Mostly based off of a recipe from Savoring Mexico, by Marilyn Tausend.
Easiest. Soup. Ever. And full of beans!
2 tbsp canola oil
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
8 cups canned black beans
3 cups chicken or veggie broth (I use Better Than Bouillon's No Chicken variety)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
salt and pepper and lime to taste
In a large heavy pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes (I sometimes brown them a bit). Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Transfer to a food processor or blender and add the beans (I use an immersion blender - I really love that thing. But if you use a blender or food processor, keep in mind that the heat may make the top of the blender want to come off, so be careful!). Puree until smooth. Transfer back to pot to warm the mixture. Add corn kernels, salt, and pepper. If too thick, thin with more water or broth.
Tasty things you may want to place on top:
Cheese, chiles, avocado, finely chopped onion, cilantro, or a big dollop of the following (for the spice lovers):
1 quart yogurt
7-oz can of chipotles en adobo.
Slice the chipotles into slivers (be careful - this is some hot stuff that is unpleasant when it gets under your nails, but really pleasant when it gets in your mouth. Wear gloves or wash your hands well after chopping). Mix with yogurt.
Easiest. Soup. Ever. And full of beans!
2 tbsp canola oil
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
8 cups canned black beans
3 cups chicken or veggie broth (I use Better Than Bouillon's No Chicken variety)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
salt and pepper and lime to taste
In a large heavy pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes (I sometimes brown them a bit). Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Transfer to a food processor or blender and add the beans (I use an immersion blender - I really love that thing. But if you use a blender or food processor, keep in mind that the heat may make the top of the blender want to come off, so be careful!). Puree until smooth. Transfer back to pot to warm the mixture. Add corn kernels, salt, and pepper. If too thick, thin with more water or broth.
Tasty things you may want to place on top:
Cheese, chiles, avocado, finely chopped onion, cilantro, or a big dollop of the following (for the spice lovers):
1 quart yogurt
7-oz can of chipotles en adobo.
Slice the chipotles into slivers (be careful - this is some hot stuff that is unpleasant when it gets under your nails, but really pleasant when it gets in your mouth. Wear gloves or wash your hands well after chopping). Mix with yogurt.
Mung beans with greens
Based off a recipe in Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian.
Serve this with naan or the lemon rice featured below. Yum!
5 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/8 tsp ground asafetida (you can substitute a few cloves of garlic)
1/4 tsp whole fenugreek seeds (these are also readily available at Indian grocers. If unavailable, you may want to try just a TINY splash of imitation maple extract, as fenugreek is used to make this. Warning: it will make the dish sweeter, and I've never actually tried this myself, but several people online suggest it as a substitution.)
2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (aka methi - you can find these at Indian grocers. If you don't have one, you can make the recipe without, but it won't be as interesting)
1.5-2 lbs spinach
1 cup hulled, split mung beans (you can find these in many specialty markets - I used the hulled split variety, but you can use the whole, green variety - they just take a bit longer to cook)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 tsp salt, or to taste
2 thin slices of peeled, fresh ginger, cut into fine slivers (you can substitute 1/2 tsp ground ginger if you don't have fresh on hand)
2 - 4 tbsp of finely chopped onion (depending on how onion-y you like your food)
2 fresh hot green chiles (I used serrano, which turned out a bit spicier than I intended. You may want to reduce, substitute a milder chile, or omit if you are not a big fan of spicy food.)
Put 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. Ten seconds later, put in the asafetida and fenugreek seeds. Stir once and quickly put in the spinach, methi leaves, mung beans, turmeric, and 4 cups water. Stir and bring to boil, watching carefully that it does not boil over. Decrease heat to low, and partially cover. Cook for about 40 minutes, until beans are tender. Add the salt and mix. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
While the bean mixture is cooking, put the remaining 3 tbsp of oil in a small frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the ginger, onions, and chiles. Stir and cook until the onion browns, then empty the contents into the pot with the beans and greens.
Serve this with naan or the lemon rice featured below. Yum!
5 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/8 tsp ground asafetida (you can substitute a few cloves of garlic)
1/4 tsp whole fenugreek seeds (these are also readily available at Indian grocers. If unavailable, you may want to try just a TINY splash of imitation maple extract, as fenugreek is used to make this. Warning: it will make the dish sweeter, and I've never actually tried this myself, but several people online suggest it as a substitution.)
2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (aka methi - you can find these at Indian grocers. If you don't have one, you can make the recipe without, but it won't be as interesting)
1.5-2 lbs spinach
1 cup hulled, split mung beans (you can find these in many specialty markets - I used the hulled split variety, but you can use the whole, green variety - they just take a bit longer to cook)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 tsp salt, or to taste
2 thin slices of peeled, fresh ginger, cut into fine slivers (you can substitute 1/2 tsp ground ginger if you don't have fresh on hand)
2 - 4 tbsp of finely chopped onion (depending on how onion-y you like your food)
2 fresh hot green chiles (I used serrano, which turned out a bit spicier than I intended. You may want to reduce, substitute a milder chile, or omit if you are not a big fan of spicy food.)
Put 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. Ten seconds later, put in the asafetida and fenugreek seeds. Stir once and quickly put in the spinach, methi leaves, mung beans, turmeric, and 4 cups water. Stir and bring to boil, watching carefully that it does not boil over. Decrease heat to low, and partially cover. Cook for about 40 minutes, until beans are tender. Add the salt and mix. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
While the bean mixture is cooking, put the remaining 3 tbsp of oil in a small frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the ginger, onions, and chiles. Stir and cook until the onion browns, then empty the contents into the pot with the beans and greens.
Vegetarian (or not) Split Pea Soup
This is based on Andersen's Split pea soup, with a few variations:
1 quart water
1 quart beef stock (I use Better than Bouillon's No Beef stock)
2 cups green split peas, rinsed
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground thyme
pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf
5-10 mushrooms (I use a dried mix of mushrooms that Costco carries - just rinse them well, then stick them in the soup to soften)
Stick everything in a pot, bring to boil. Boil for 20 minutes, then set to simmer for 1-2 hours (this will depend on the age of the peas and the consistency preferred)
Add salt and pepper to taste.
1 quart water
1 quart beef stock (I use Better than Bouillon's No Beef stock)
2 cups green split peas, rinsed
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground thyme
pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf
5-10 mushrooms (I use a dried mix of mushrooms that Costco carries - just rinse them well, then stick them in the soup to soften)
Stick everything in a pot, bring to boil. Boil for 20 minutes, then set to simmer for 1-2 hours (this will depend on the age of the peas and the consistency preferred)
Add salt and pepper to taste.
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