Butternut Squash And Carrot Soup

originally posted December 30, 2020

Recipe amended from https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-butternut-squash-and-carrot-soup-3377922

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion (diced)

• 4 cloves garlic (minced)

• 4 carrots (sliced)

• 3 ribs celery (diced)

• 2 small or 1 large butternut squash (peeled and chopped)

• 5 cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped)

• 1/2 cup soy milk or oat milk

• Salt to taste (sea salt or kosher salt)

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Parsley (chopped, to garnish)

• Espelette pepper (skins and seeds finely chopped or pulverized in a spice grinder, to garnish)

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Saute the diced onion and minced garlic in the olive oil until the onions turn soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add the sliced carrots and celery and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the chopped butternut squash and stir just to coat the butternut squash with the oil. Pour in the vegetable broth and chopped fresh sage.

5. Cover, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and allow the soup to cook for at least 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

6. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender, or use an immersion blender.

7. Stir in the soy or oat milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and whatever other garnishes you like!

Fennel and Summer Squash Soup

originally posted July 16, 2020

Ingredients

• 1 large fennel bulb (fronds reserved, bulb sliced ½ inch thick)

• Lemon juice to taste

• Salt to taste

• Dash or two or four of white wine to taste

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Approximately 2lbs mixed summer squash sliced ½ inch thick

• 1 (or many) large garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 large onion thinly sliced

• 1 quart chicken stock

• Freshly ground pepper

• ½ cup crème fraîche

• Chopped spring onions for garnish

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the sliced fennel bulb with water. Add the lemon juice and a large dash of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fennel is nice and tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the fennel and set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the summer squash, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and white wine and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, adding dashes of more oil and wine as needed until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cooked fennel and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened completely, about 8 minutes. 

3. Cool the vegetable glory down to a warm temp. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

4. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls that delight your soul. Dollop one tablespoon of the crème fraîche into each serving and swirl in prettily. Garnish with fennel fronds and thin sliced spring onions and serve. Soup can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Reheat gently over medium low heat, being careful not to burn. 

Mexican Black Beans

Mexican Black Beans

• 2 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons pork fat, lard or bacon drippings
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 large sprig of epazote
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Place beans in a large, heavy Dutch oven. Cover with 6 cups of water and pick out any beans that float to the surface. Let beans soak 6 hours or overnight. You can speed this process up by cooking the beans in boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes before letting them stand for 2 hours. 
2. Drain the beans completely.
3. Cover the beans with 6 cups of fresh water. Add the lard or other fat, onion and epazote and heat slowly to a simmer over medium-low heat.
4. Once you reach a simmer, partly cover and cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more hot water as necessary to keep beans submerged by 1/2 inch.
5. Season with salt, remove epazote and serve with rice.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Onions, and Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

Roasted Butternut Squash, Onions, and Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

Adapted from That’s Some Good Cookin’

• 1 (3.5-4 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded

• 4 medium potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed (about 1 1/2 pounds)

• 1-2 small to medium sized onions

• 1 tablespoon fresh, minced rosemary (strip rosemary from stems prior to mincing)

• 1 tablespoon fresh, minced sage (strip sage from stems prior to mincing)

• 1 tablespoon fresh, minced thyme (do not include any stems that are woody)

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450-degrees F. Line two shallow baking pans (1-inch sides all around) with foil; set aside.

2. Dice the butternut squash, potatoes, and onion in approximately 1- x 1-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme.

3. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetable/herb mixture. Toss lightly until the vegetables are well coated. Distribute evenly between two pans in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Roast for about 20-25 minutes in the oven, rotating pans after ten minutes. The vegetables are ready when they just begin to turn brown in some places and the potatoes pierce easily with a fork or wooden skewer. Do not overcook.

Stewed Sweet Peppers (Peperonata)

 Stewed Sweet Peppers (Peperonata)

Great for a bruschetta topping

From Saveur

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 mellow star peppers (red), seeded, and cut into strips
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced crosswise
• ½ medium white onion, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1. Heat oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add peppers, garlic, onions, and ½ cup water and season with salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until peppers are soft, about 1 hour.
3. Stir in vinegar and transfer to a serving bowl.

Tortilla Espanola

Tortilla Espanola

Adapted from our Galician friends and Saveur

This classic Spanish dish can be served for breakfast, cut in cubes for tapas, or as a bocadillo (sandwich) on a baguette. A quick note: Add the potato mixture while it’s hot enough to start cooking the eggs but not so hot as to soufflé them.

• 3⁄4 cup Spanish olive oil
• 6 potatoes, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• 6 eggs

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 10″ sauté pan.
2. Add potatoes and onions and cook, lifting and turning, until potatoes are soft but not brown, about 20 minutes.
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl until pale yellow. Transfer sautéed potatoes and onion with a slotted spoon to beaten eggs. Reserve oil.
4. Heat 1 tbsp. reserved oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add egg and potato mixture, spreading potatoes evenly in the pan. Cook uncovered until the bottom is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
5. Gently shake pan so tortilla doesn’t stick, then slide a spatula along edges and underneath tortilla. Place a large plate over pan and quickly turn plate and pan over so tortilla falls onto plate.
6. Add 1 tsp. reserved oil to pan, slide tortilla back in (uncooked side down), carefully tuck in sides with a fork, and continue cooking over medium heat until eggs are just set, about 3 minutes.
7. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.

Pepper and Potato Stew

Pepper and Potato Stew

Adapted from The Cooking Channel 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped fine
• 5 cloves garlic, cut into 3 pieces
• 2-3 sweet peppers seeded and sliced
• 1 cup of tomatoes (any kind!), blended smooth
• 1 pound potatoes, scrubbed well and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup vegetable broth (recommended: organic vegetable broth)
• 1 generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large Dutch oven saute the onion in about 3 tablespoons olive oil on medium-high heat, and when it is completely softened, and before it starts browning, add the garlic. Saute for an additional couple of minutes, then add the peppers, lower the heat to medium-low and stir well. Partially cover with a lid and let them soften up, about 10 minutes.
2. When the peppers have settled into the pan, add the tomatoes and the potatoes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, stir well over medium-low heat, cook for about 1 hour.
3. Use the vegetable stock to help the sauce come together, by adding a ladleful to the peperonata here and there while cooking. Depending on the tomatoes you are using and the degree of ripeness of the peppers, you might not need to use all the broth indicated in the ingredient list. Look for a nice balance between sauce and vegetables, at the end you are working on a vegetable stew…consistency of the final dish should be thicker than a pasta sauce.

Cucumber and Red Pepper Salad

Cucumber and Red Pepper Salad

Adapted from Pork- Be Inspired

•  2 medium sized cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 jimmy nardello peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley/cilantro or basil, chopped

1.  In medium shallow serving bowl, toss cucumber slices with onion slices and diced red bell pepper.
2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Drizzle salad with a dressing.
4. Let stand at room temperature, up to 2 hours, until ready to serve.

Fresh Salsa

Fresh Salsa

Adapted from All Recipes

• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (including seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Serve.

Amaranth Stir Fry

Amaranth Stir Fry

Adapted from My Home Tastes

• Amaranth  Leaves – 2 bunches or packs,pick leaves and bright pink flower buds (drain then chop finely)
• Onion – 1 large/medium sized finely chopped
• Green chili – 2 sliced
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Mustard and Chanadal – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsps
• Turmeric powder – 1/6 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – as per taste.

1. Place a skillet or pan and add oil and heat, Drop the mustard and chanadal and fry a bit till it splutters.
2. Add the chopped onion, green chilli and curry leaves and saute till onion edges turn slightly brown.
3. Sprinkle the turmeric and coriander powders and stir, throw in the chopped leaves and continue stirring till it wilts and cover cook 3-4 mins on low.
4. Now add garlic and salt mix well and fry 3 more mins and turn off heat.
5. Move into a serving dish.

Tomato, Cucumber and Basil Salad

Tomato, Cucumber and Basil Salad

Adapted from Peta

• 1½ cups chopped English cucumber (about 2)
• 1½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss gently.
2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients. Drizzle over salad, and add basil; toss to coat.
3. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.