Vegetable Chili

Vegetable Chili

Makes 8 Portions

Ingredients

• ¾ cup olive oil
• 2 zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 onions, cut into ½-inch dice
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice
• 1 can (35 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, with their juice
• 1 ½ pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons good-quality chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
• 1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained
• ½ cup chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 scallions (green onions), white bulb and 3 inches green, sliced on the diagonal

Preparation

1.Heat ½ cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, and sauté until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a large flameproof casserole or dutch oven.

2.Heat the remaining ¼ cup oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Sauté until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the casserole, along with the oil remaining in the skillet.

3.Place the casserole over low heat. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, the fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, fennel seeds, and parsley. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes.

4.Stir in the kidney beans, chick-peas, dill and lemon juice; cook for another 15 minutes. Stir well, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve with bowls of sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced scallions alongside.

ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH

• 1 medium kabocha squash
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F, rinse the squash under running water, and dry it. 

Like all winter squash, kabocha takes a sharp knife and a bit of brute force to cut up. One of the best ways to attack it is to cut off the top and the bottom

Scoop out the seeds and cut the squash into thin wedges.

Toss the squash with the coconut oil and season the slices with salt and pepper.

Place the squash in a single layer on a foil-lined baking tray and roast  for 30 minutes, flipping them over at the midpoint. The wedges are ready to eat when they’re slightly crunchy on the outside and fluffy and soft on the inside.

pumpkin pie from scratch!

Ingredients

Pumpkin:
1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 3 pounds)
Canola oil, for oiling pumpkin

Easy Pie Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs

Directions

For the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.

For the easy pie crust: While the pumpkin is cooking, make the crust. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.
Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the filling: Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth (you should have about 4 cups). Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and eggs and combine thoroughly.
Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about 1 hour. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Quinoa Tabuleh

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced or run through a garlic press

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 large cucumbers or 2-3 persian cucumbers, cut into ¼ inch pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or larger tomatoes chopped

2/3 cup parsley, chopped

½ cup fresh mint, chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over.

Crispy Summer Squash Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

·        2 medium yellow squash, grated on the medium holes of a box grater and squeezed dry

·        2 scallions, thinly sliced

·        1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

·        1 large egg, beaten

·        1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·        2 teaspoons baking powder

·        Kosher salt

·        Pepper

·        6 tablespoons canola oil

·        Lemon wedges and sour cream, for serving

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1.    In a medium bowl, combine the squash with the scallions, jalapeño, egg, flour and baking powder and season with salt and pepper. Mix gently just to combine.

2.    In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Spoon 3 heaping 1/3-cup mounds of the batter into the skillet and press lightly to flatten them. Cook over moderate heat until golden, about 
3 minutes. Flip the pancakes, add 1 tablespoon of the oil 
and cook until golden and crisp, 
2 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter. Serve the pancakes hot with lemon wedges and sour cream.

Serve for breakfast with cream cheese, cucumbers and smoked salmon or under a runny, fried egg!

Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

INGREDIENTS

·        1 pint Brussels sprouts (about a pound)

·        4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan

·        5 cloves garlic, peeled

·         Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

1.    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Set loose leaves aside. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.    Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom, add reserved leaves and transfer to oven. Roast, shaking pan every 5 minutes, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 10 to 20 minutes.

chocolate beet root cake

3.5 oz dark chocolate

3 medium free range eggs

1.25 C brown sugar

12 TBS butter

1.25 C cooked beetroot

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 TBS cocoa powder

1/3 C almond meal

1/3 C plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. To cook the beetroots wash thoroughly and place in a pot full of cold water.  Bring to the boil and cook until soft when poked with a knife. Cool, rub off skins, and then blend to make a puree.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease and line your cake tin-8 inch round or square

3. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler and leave to cool to room temperature.  I use the microwave and heat for thirty seconds, give it a stir and another fifteen seconds and stir again.

4. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar.

5. Slowly add the cooked beet puree, the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg mixture.  Beat until just combined.

6. Sift the cocoa, flour, baking powder.  Add this the almond meal and salt to the beet batter.  Fold until just combined, do not over mix.

7. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the cake just springs back if you touch it.  Leave to cool then ice if desired.  We just dust with icing sugar and serve like a brownie, with a dollop of double cream!  YUMMMMMM!

Aioli with Roasted Veg

Aioli with Roasted Veg

• 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets and the stem cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 3 medium beets, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 1 acorn squash, halved, seeded and cut into 1-inch wedges
• 2 bunches scallions, trimmed and halved lengthwise
•  Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
•  Kosher salt, to taste
•  Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
•  Pomegranate seeds, for serving (optional)

• FOR THE AIOLI:

1 to 3 garlic cloves, grated or mashed to a paste

1 teaspoon lemon juice, more to taste

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

MAKE THE VEGETABLES:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place broccoli  and cauliflower together on one large rimmed baking sheet or pan, and beets and turnips on another. Place squash and 1 bunch scallions on individual pans. Toss all vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper until well coated. Roast scallions 12 to 15 minutes; broccoli and cauliflower 20 to 30 minutes; squash 30 to 40 minutes; and beets and turnips 40 to 50 minutes. Toss all periodically while roasting.
MAKE THE AIOLI:
Combine garlic, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor and let sit a minute or two. Add eggs and blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. You can use a mortar and pestle if you prefer. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
Arrange roasted vegetables on platter and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds if using. Serve with the aioli on the side.