Fragrant Vegetable Stew with Dumplings

This bracing stew is chockful of vegetables and redolent with the warming spices of the Middle East.  Of course, I didn't keep to the recipe, and some parts where I did, will be altered. The soup included a pat of several tablespoons of butter. I did that, but I didn't like the feel of the butter, so for us it will be one part of the recipe which will not be included again. The soup also calls for parsnips, which I omitted and replaced with butternut squash which I had on hand. I also didn't have quite as much parsley as it called for, but still plenty for the purposes. And, lastly, I added more salt to the corn dumplings, and fresh chives.

Before I write the recipe I wanted to have a quick word with you about fresh chives and parsley. Please don't use the dried stuff. It tastes horrible. It has horrible texture. Every few weeks I buy two bushels of fresh curly parsley, I pluck the leaves, wash them and let them drip dry. Once the excess water has dried off, I run the fresh green leaves through my food processor and then plop the chopped up leaves in a well sealed plastic container and pop the whole thing into the freezer. When I need parsley, I scrape the needed amount out of the plastic container and voila, fresh parsley. We grow an inordinate amount of chives every year and I harvest it, wash it, use scissors to chop it up and freeze it much the same way I freeze parsley. It remains fresh and tasty throughout the cold winter season. Don't freeze it in water or oil. Just loosely pack it into a container and keep in the freezer. You can thank me later and call me your hero. I'm humble that way. 

Alright. Prepare to drool all over your keyboard. The recipe has a lot of ingredients but comes together easily enough. It is adapted from 'Simply Satisfying, over 200 Vegetarian Recipes you'll want to make again and again' by the talented Jeanne Lemlin.

Fragrant Vegetable Stew with Corn Dumplings

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
1.5 teaspoons of Moroccan Vegetable Rub by Spices, Inc.
or 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Allspice ground, pinch ground ginger, 1/4 tsp gr. cumin, 1/4 gr. coriander
1 tsp. hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne (Omit if you don't like it spicy)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup diced tomatoes
10 cups low sodium vegetable stock (I did 5 cups stock, 5 cups plain water)
3/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 -1 1/2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
12 oz. box frozen baby lima beans
2 cups frozen corn (or fresh)
3 tbsp. butter (I didn't like that, so will omit next time)

Dumplings
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (I added a tad more)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. chilled butter
1/2 cup corn, thawed if frozen
1 tbsp. fresh chives
1/2 cup cold milk

Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes until starting to brown. Add bay leaves, cloves, and spices, sauté for a minute. Add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, half of the parsley, vegetables with the exception of the corn.  Simmer on low heat until the vegetables are almost tender. At this point I added some cornstarch to thicken the soup a little. 

While the soup simmers, prepare your dumplings. Combine dry ingredients and cut the butter into it until it resembles little crumbles. Add the corn and chives and mix. Slowly as needed add the cold milk until just moistened. Form into 8 little flat balls. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Add the remaining parsley, the corn, and butter if using and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.  With the stew simmering gently, add the dumplings. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Check if the dumplings are done by inserting a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done. If not, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve the stew with one dumpling per serving.

Roasted Mung Dal with Greens

This recipe is quintessential Bengali fare. Roasting the Mung Dal gives this dal an earthy, nutty flavor, and makes this one of the dals, which in my opinion, can stand on it's own. While the recipe itself is easy to follow, you need a specialty five-spice mix called Panch-phoron, ubiquitous to Bengali cuisine. This dal used to be made with spinach in our family, but an over abundance of swiss rainbow chard had me experiment with the leafy vegetable, and to my delight, this dal is even better with swiss chard, than with spinach. Dal is an incredibly versatile meal. It is easy to cook, vegetarian, high in fiber, and offers some protein. The addition of swiss chard  only adds to the nutritiousness. This dal, by the way, like many types of dal, freezes well, but should be used within 45 days of freezing.

Roasted Mung Dal with Swiss Chard

I cup of split, peeled, mung dal
4 cups water
1 tbsp. panch-phoron
1 Indian bay leaf (different from Western cuisine)
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
1-2 dried red chiles
2-3 cups packed spinach or swiss chard leaves, washed, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. ghee* or mustard oil (substitute with regular cooking oil if you don't' have those)

*Omit if vegan.

The dal after should look like this after roasting.

Pick the dal over to remove blemishes, or small pebbles. Roast the mung dal on medium low heat until it has developed a lovely reddish color. Stir frequently and be vigilant, this stuff burns quickly and you'll need to start over.

Once the dal has finished roasting, rinse once or twice to remove dust and impurities. Add water, the bayleaf, the turmeric powder, and red chiles, and bring to an easy simmer. When the dal is almost tender add the chopped leafy vegetable of your choice. Return to simmer. Heat the oil or ghee in a small pan and add the panch-phoron. When the seeds have sputtered, add this to the dal along with salt to taste. Simmer until the vegetables and dal have cooked through and are tender. Serve over hot rice (GF), or better yet, with some chapati.

Zucchini Curry

This simple and light curry cooks up fast and without fuss, and tastes great with any kind of roti (Indian breads), although rice works just fine too. 

Zucchini Curry.

half a red onion, thinly sliced
small piece of ginger, finely shredded (you want about a half teaspoon's worth)
half teaspoon of whole cumin
1 Indian bay leaf (tej patta)
3 green cardamom
1 clove
small stick of cinnamon, no more than an inch long, otherwise it gets overpowering
quarter teaspoon of garam masala
quarter cup of diced tomato
quarter  teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander, and turmeric
pinch of sugar (optional. It's a Bengali thing)
1 medium potato, peeled  and cut into fairly small pieces (par boiling these while prepping everything else saves time)
1 small and not too hot jalapeño, sliced (optional)
1 medium zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise and then cut into pieces
quarter cup frozen peas
a few sprigs of cilantro, chopped (optional)
salt to taste

Heat a little bit of oil in a pan and add the whole cumin,  bay leaf, cardamom, clove, cinnamon. Let it heat for a moment, and then add the onion. Sauté for a few minutes and then add the ginger. Continue to cook on medium heat until onion starts to caramelize. Add the ground spices, except garam masala (and sugar if using), and sauté for a minute before adding the chopped tomato. Cook on medium heat while breaking up the tomato chunks with the back of your cooking spoon. Season to taste with salt. Add a little water and simmer the gravy for 3-4 minutes. Add the potatoes along with a little water, and let cook in a closed pan on low to medium heat until the potatoes are done. ( If you parboiled the potatoes, add all the veggies at once). Add the zucchini, peas and jalapeño and simmer. When the zucchini is cooked to your preferred texture, remove from heat, and add the garam masala. Stir to combine and then add the chopped (if using) cilantro. Serve with a wedge of lime or lemon.

This is  a great side dish or light lunch.

Simplified Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

After I posted a few pictures of my Simplified Blackforest Cherry Torte on Facebook, I had several friends ask if I would please post the recipe. Well, here you go.
As a native German, I grew up eating this gorgeous dessert.  My mother used to make a wonderful Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte and I'd like to say I learned from her. But I've been cheating for a long time now and making a simpler two layer version which comes together quickly and tastes just as good as the fancier three layer.  The other sin I commit when making this cake is my omission of Kirschwasser. Since this cake is essentially a quick way of occluding your arteries I make it very rarely.  An entire bottle of Kirschwasser is simply too much to buy for this rare occasion. We use rum instead. Rum and cherries are great together and so is rum and chocolate. What could possibly go wrong? The original way to make this cake is with a sturdier type of dough at the bottom to support the cake.  I skip this part shamelessly. I also use sweet canned cherries if fresh ones aren't available. The Chocolate Cake Base which I use isn't very sweet making it quite useful in recipes where sweet fillings are included.

I had last made this cake many years ago and neither of our kids much liked it. Since there were only two of us (adults) eating it,  part of it went into the trash. Besides, we are getting too old to eat this cake without mentally putting a cardiologist on speed dial. Lately however, my husband had been pining loudly for this cake, and with my father in-law's first birthday since moving in with us, I felt obliged to comply.

Chocolate Cake Base

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all unbleached all purpose white flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Moist Ingredients
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup brewed coffee - cooled

FillingA few tablespoons of any red jelly
1 quart whipping cream whipped stiff with 1/2 cup sugar (more if you like it sweeter)
1 can of cherries, drained and then soaked in a half cup of rum over night. Drain before using but keep the rum
Maraschino Cherries - drained
Good quality semi-sweet baking chocolate - grated

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add all moist ingredients and stir well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured springform pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about 50 minutes.  When I baked this cake recently I used part of the batter (maybe a third of it)  to make a smaller 'virgin' cake for my seven year old.

By letting the cake to cool completely before cutting it in half you can reduce the amount of crumbling you get. Allow the cake to rest cut open for an hour before assembling it. I usually cut the dome off the top of the cake to have a nice flat surface.

To assemble.
Place bottom half of cake on your cake stand.  I place some wax paper around the edges to keep things clean.
Sprinkle some of the cherry flavored rum on the base and then thinly spread some of that red jelly over the base. This helps prevent the base from becoming too soggy. You need only a little since you don't want to be able to taste the jelly. Thickly spread whipped cream on the base and then place the drained cherries on the base. Cover the cherries with another layer of cream.

Take the top layer of cake and turn it upside down (cut side up) and sprinkle with the cherry infused rum. Then spread some jelly over the cut area. Place the cut side down on top of the cream covered cherries.  If you did need to cut the 'dome' of the cake make sure to coat the cut part with a super thin layer of jelly. Coat the entire cake with a thin layer of cream and allow to cool for half an hour before proceeding. This will ensure a more finished appearance later on.

To finish the cake reserve some of the cream for piping and spread the rest evenly over the chilled cake. Sprinkle the top with the grated chocolate and pipe rosettes around the edge. Place a maraschino cherry on each rosette. Remove the wax paper pieces you used to keep the plate clean. Pipe a simple edging along the bottom edge of the cake and chill at least an hour before serving.

Holding on to Summer Salad.

I just posted this salad to my facebook and judging by the number of 'Like' clicks the colors must appeal to everyone.  I created this salad a few months ago and it has become a huge hit among family and friends alike. The simplicity of this salad is the key. It comes together in mere minutes but I do recommend letting it sit for an hour to allow the flavors to come together. The other appeal of this wonderful salad is that the options for change are limited only to your imagination.

A doctor's appointment a few days ago was a wake-up call. I was placed on cholesterol lowering medication. Frankly, I have no intention of taking them. I will work at changing my dietary habits even more and eating a healthy, colorful, balanced diet without sacrificing flavor. This salad is a good step in that direction.

Ingredients

One can chickpeas, drained and rinsed.
1½-2 cups seeded and diced cucumber
A good handful of cherry tomatoes halved or 1 good size tomato seeded and diced
... Half a sweet pepper (capsicum) seeded and diced (any color will do)
2 tablespoons of chopped onion
half a grated garlic (optional)1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
***
And now that you have the basic ingredients it's time to have fun. Toss, it all together and get creative. Alter the flavor by changing the dressing. For acids you can add balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or red wine vinegar. For the seasoning add pepper, mint, basil, parsley or whatever else you feel like.
Added toppings that are wonderful are feta or any tangy goat cheese. If you like up the spice factor by adding diced jalapeno.

Skip the olive oil and make a dressing by mixing yogurt, the seasonings, and onion (plus garlic if using) together. A Yogurt based dressing will work extremely well with some extra chopped onion and plenty of mint.

The chickpeas make this salad is quite substantial. Along with some crackers or toasted pita bread it would make a great light lunch.

Flavors of India for Breakfast?

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. I love it when I get to sit with my husband and eat the kind of breakfast my kids wouldn't touch. You know, the grown up kind like a fragrant fritata or a veggie loaded omelet.  This recipe shown here would lend itself well to a light lunch or supper. The inspiration for this loaded scrambled egg comes from the Parsi dish 'Akuri' which is an explosion of flavors right at breakfast. The flavors in this vegetable loaded scramble can be kept light as my husband prefers it, or a bit stronger the way I like it. What's so amazing about this meal is that you can get an entire serving of vegetables right there for breakfast. I am estimating the quantities in this recipe as I have never measured it.



Clicking on this picture will show you a  larger, and more mouthwatering version.


Ingredients
(serves two)

chopped onions - about a quarter cup
roughly diced green peppers (or any other color you have on hand) - a half cup
zucchini quartered lengthwise and then sliced across to yield quarters - 1 cup
tomatoes - seeded and chopped for cooking and garnish - 3/4 - 1 cup
In terms of vegetables, these are the ones I would definitely say are a must
These are the other ones I like to add
summer squash - cut the same way as the zucchini - half cup
corn - cut off one cob or frozen (half cup)
left over potato (especially from Indian meals)
left over chickpeas or Chole (Indian Chickpea stew)

3-4 Eggs (we use half real eggs and half fake liquid eggs due to cholesterol issues)
salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
¼ teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of any cooking oil (for health reasons I use olive oil)
chopped cilantro (quite optional if you hate them but if you are ok with it, really enhances the flavor)

Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. If you make this for lunch or dinner and like things a bit livelier you could add a small amount of crushed garlic. Too much garlic will overwhelm the balance of flavors in this recipe, so go easy. *Saute the onion until translucent and then add all the vegetables except for the tomato, cilantro, and left over potatoes and chickpeas (if adding). Saute on medium heat for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the seasonings,  tomato, chickpeas and potatoes (if using) and stir, let heat through for 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and then crack over the whole thing, the eggs. Stir gently but do break the yolks. Reduce the heat to medium low and allow the egg to set. Stir gently periodically to make sure all the egg is cooked. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

I love to eat this with a little extra chopped fresh onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. A squeeze of fresh lemon brings out the flavors of all the vegetables.  Serve with it toast or better yet, some toasted pita bread or any Indian roti.

This is a substantial meal which will keep you satisfied during a long morning or comfortably filled on a warm summer night. 

Almost all my recipes lend themselves extremely well to substitutions and additions. To me cooking has always been creativity. I was lucky that I had a mother who is an amazing creative cook and a father, who is a fantastic cook in his own right. My childhood memories are filled with family friends appearing suddenly on a Sunday morning at our door with grocery bags filled with fresh ingredients. 'We brought food, will you cook for us?' And my parents never disappointed them. Everyone was handed kitchen tools, cutting boards, bowls and colanders and given instructions. Soon the kitchen was filled with the sounds of animated discussions, laughter and the aromas of a multitude of spices, herbs and fresh ingredients coming together in an altogether magical way.

*A note on cooking onions for this recipe. If you like a light flavor add the veggies when the onion is translucent. If you like the flavors stronger let the onion start to lightly brown before adding the veggies.

Cooking is a forgiving art. So go for it. And for anything you didn't like, give it to the dog or the sink disposal. I've never heard them complain.

Mrs. B's best Zucchini Nut Muffins

The obscenely ginormous, huge, zucchinis from somewhere in Iowa.

Yesterday, when I came back from co-hosting a seminar, my husband met me at the door.

'I have a surprise for you', he announced grandly. 'You've never seen anything like this before!' he claimed and with a flourish presented me with these huge, green objects. 'Have you ever seen zucchini like this before?'

I had to admit I had not. I didn't even know they could get that big. Even the smaller of the two is larger than any zucchini I've ever seen.

Apparently our neighbor had been blessed by someone they knew with cucumbers and zucchini. They knew what to do with the cukes but had no idea what to do with the zukes. But, bless her heart, she knows I love to cook and that I love veggies. What she didn't know was that I particularly adore zucchini.  The kids of course wanted zucchini muffins.

No problema!



I would really recommend clicking on this picture to see the muffin larger as it doesn't really show it as well in the smaller picture.



My son won't touch zucchini unless it's converted in Zucchini Nut Muffins. I found the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine many years ago, adapted it to suit our palate and it's been a family favorite since then. When my son was a toddler at daycare I gave them this recipe. The first time they made this recipe the kids plowed through the first batch of muffins so fast they had to quickly whip up another batch.



 
Feel free to add or exchange ingredients. This is the recipe they way we changed it from the original.

Mrs. B's best Zucchini Nut Muffins


2 cups un-bleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
3/4 cup plain sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup applesauce (we use unsweetened)
2 cups packed, shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup golden raisins (we don't use that because the kids don't like them)
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar or Washed Raw Cane Sugar for sprinkling (this will give you a crunchy texture on top - big yum! factor)


Pre-heat oven to 350F.


Combine sugar and eggs in a bowl; blend at medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the oil; beating constantly for 3 minutes. Add the applesauce, vanilla extract and shredded zucchini and blend well. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Now, if you want a more pronounced walnut taste, toast them first until fragrant.


In a separate bowl mix the flours, salt, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and ground flax seed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until well combined but not overmixed.


Pour batter into 24 lined muffin cups or non-stick muffin tins and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar; bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

(You could substitute a half cup of craisins for the nuts and add some quick cooking oats to up the health-factor)