Posts Tagged ‘vegetables’

January 12, 2011 6

sumac carrots

By in recipes

sumac spice and carrots

I’ve mentioned my love for sumac many times in the one year history of this blog (well, it will be one year in a little over two weeks!). Sumac is a spice that I sneak into just about anything. I love its sourness, it’s not as overpowering as lemons can be. Sometimes I even find myself eating small spoonfuls of it just before adding it to dishes. Hey, it’s not nearly as weird as trying to eat a tablespoon of cinnamon. Sumac adds a nice tart kick to vegetable dishes and I’ve been roasting lots of vegetables lately (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and carrots). Partly as an excuse to keep the oven on for over an hour (our heater is only in one room!), but mostly because there’s no such thing as eating too many vegetables. Or too much sumac. Sumac most likely isn’t available at your local grocery store, but can easily be found at Middle Eastern grocery stores – or places like Amazon.com, if you’re willing to shell out a couple dollars for shipping.

sumac carrots

Sumac Carrots
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1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sumac
salt, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.

Toss the carrots with olive oil, sumac, and salt on a baking sheet or baking pan. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Sprinkle with a little bit of parsley before serving, if you’re feeling fancy.

Serves 2

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August 10, 2010 11

san francisco summer stew & a giveaway

By in giveaway, recipes

Every time I want to complain about the weather, I remind myself that I’m not old enough to join AARP. I’m pretty sure you get to be a card carrying Weather Complainer once you join AARP. The thing is though, I haven’t seen much of the sun for the last 6 weeks and it’s totally crampin’ my style. I want to celebrate the bounties of summer and all the foods that go along with it, but it’s so drab and chilly. Once night falls, I want nothing more than to curl up with a hot bowl of stew (and my love, naturally). This is one of my go-to vegetable stews. It’s simple, filling, and hearty.  No meat necessary and a cinch to prepare.  Perfect for summers in San Francisco and an easy way to devour a bunch of vegetables all at once.

Oh!  And how could I almost forget?

I was recently approached by the fine folks over at CSNStores.com about hosting a giveaway on my site.  They sell everything from dinnerware, to cookware, to espresso machines.   That means you could win a $25 gift certificate to any of their 200+ stores.  If you’re anything like me, you’d take that $25 to buy something weird and impractical like a corkscrew or Pinocchio funnel from Alessi.  Of course, you’re free to pick out whatever you like – even practical things. How quaint!

All you have to do to participate is 1) leave a comment (just one!) with your e-mail address so I have a way to contact you and 2) answer the following question:

What was the last memorable meal you cooked?

I’ll announce the winner on 8/18. Also, the giveaway is limited to those only within the US, Canada, the UK, und Deutschland.   Due to shipping limitations, there are restrictions for those in the UK and Germany.  You’d have to order from one of their UK or German sites, respectively. For everyone else, my sincerest apologies.  For my next giveaway, I’ll be sure to include everyone.  I won’t even forget Poland.  Promise.

San Francisco Summer Stew
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2 tablespoons cooking oil of your choice
1 onion, diced
3-5 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced and cut into half moons
1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt & pepper, to taste
1 15-oz can of white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup frozen green beans
optional: cheese (I used a mixture of parmesan, asiago, and romano), chopped parsley or basil

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  When hot, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and carrots, stir for about 30 seconds.  Toss the zucchini into the pot and continue cooking for a couple more minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the saucepan, along with the water, spices, and potatoes.  Lower heat and cover partially. Partially covered, let the stew simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Add the white beans to the pot and continue simmering for another 10.  The stew is ready when the potatoes are tender.  In the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the green beans and continue cooking until heated through.  Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed.  Serve with cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.

Serves 4-6

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June 16, 2010 4

roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce

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Once upon a time, when I was still a student (a whole year ago!), I would spend 11 to 13 hours a day jumping from lecture to lecture, working, and daydreaming of graduating, I had very little time for cooking. And very little desire to cook, especially after a long day. My eating habits were erratic. I often ate oatmeal for breakfast and dinner, Turkish almond pudding for breakfast and dinner, along with old standbys like turkey chili and mujaddara. Whenever I had cauliflower on hand, I would almost always make this roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce and I would eat the whole thing in one sitting. Of course, I no longer eat only this for dinner and now make this is a side dish to accompany a light soup, chicken, or fish. If you can’t find tahini at your local grocery or don’t like it on its own, mix together 1/4 cup of hummus and 2 to 3 tablespoons water until you have a smooth sauce.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
(adapted from Sara Jenkins’ Olives & Oranges)
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1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup tahini
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes, until crispy brown in spots. Stir the pan and turn the cauliflower once or twice.

Meanwhile, chop the parsley puree the tahini, water, lemon juice, and garlic. Transfer to a bowl.

Remove cauliflower from the oven, transfer to a serving dish and drizzle the tahini sauce over the cauliflower. Garnish with parsley, add more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 2-3 as a side dish

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May 24, 2010 4

spaghetti with fava bean sauce

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I love fava beans. A lot. So much so, I had them both for breakfast and dinner yesterday.  My birthday was on Saturday and after a day of french fries, boba tea, and Eritrean food, I was ready to eat something a lot more simple. Though shucking  fava beans is a time consuming process, it is truly a labor of love. Did you know fava beans were the only beans Europeans ate until the discovery of the New World? Fresh fava beans are so cheap and I don’t buy them as often as I’d like since it can take up to an hour to prepare them, but it is well-worth the effort.  I wanted to create a non-tomato based pasta sauce, so I tweaked my pesto recipe to incorporate fava beans. This sauce was slightly nutty, simple, and absolutely comforting. If only I had the time to prepare fava beans every week…

Spaghetti with Fava Bean Sauce
(inspired by the fava bean puree from this NPR article)
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2.5 cups shelled fava beans (that’s roughly 2.5 pounds in the pod)
butter and olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped
red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
salt & pepper
1.5-2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 lb spaghetti or bucatini

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove the beans from the pod and listen to an episode of This American Life to make time go by much quicker. By now, the water should be boiling. Blanch the beans for about 2 minutes and drain in a colander. Rinse thoroughly with cold water. Peel off and discard the outer shell. Set the bright-green beans aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, some salt, pepper, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add a cup of broth and the fava beans to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Add salt, pepper, parmigiano reggiano, parsley, olive oil, a half cup of broth, and the fava bean and onion mixture to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is still too thick, add the remaining half cup of broth to the mixture and blend again. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Serves 3-4

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May 17, 2010 0

green bean curry

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I didn’t always love green beans. As a kid, I was only really familiar with them in the form of green bean casseroles – which I still avoid to this day. It took me many, many years to appreciate green beans. Normally, I don’t ever spend much time preparing lunch for myself. I often opt to just eat leftovers instead and focus on dinner. But when I saw this green bean recipe this morning from Mark Bittman, I knew what I was having for lunch – all the ingredients were already waiting for me in the kitchen. The dish comes together very quickly, about 25-40 minutes (depending if you use fresh or frozen green beans). The combination of coconut milk and lime juice was wonderful. For a more filling dish, add a can chickpeas or kidney beans.

Green Bean and Coconut Curry
(adapted from The New York Times)
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ghee, butter and oil, or oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 fresh chili, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 thumb size piece of ginger, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
a couple pinches of ground clove
1 teaspoon curry powder
cayenne pepper or red chili pepper flakes, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
cashew pieces, for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, add ghee, butter and oil, or oil. When hot, add onion and chili. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently until onion begins to soften. Add garlic, ginger, and spices. Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, stirring frequently.

Pour coconut milk into the saucepan and add green beans. Mix together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, or until the beans are tender, 5-8 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in lime juice. Serve over rice or with flat bread. Garnish with cashews and freshly chopped cilantro.

Serves 2

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