ROASTED CARROT AND RED LENTIL RAGOUT
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Molly wrote, “Somehow, over the centuries, the word ragout (which in 17th-century France meant anything that stimulated appetite) has come to signify a dish of sturdy consolation. Nearly any simmered food, be it meat, vegetable, fish or fowl, can be called a ragout, although in France, it is generally assumed that the main ingredients will be of a uniform chunk cut into slightly smaller than bite-size pieces. This spicy carrot and lentil ragout can be served first as a main course and later extended with coconut milk or chicken broth to make a soup. Serve it over rice to temper the heat.”
Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Food; Simmer Down” and can be viewed online here. Also, check out Melissa Clark’s guide, titled “How to Cook Beans” to help with the cooking process.
Note: The recipe originally called for chicken stock. I've replaced that with vegetable stock.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium onion, sliced thin
3/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup red lentils
5 cups vegetable stock
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay the carrots in a roasting pan and toss with 3 tablespoons oil. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the carrots, add the onion and roast 15 minutes, until the carrots are brown and tender. When carrots are cool enough, cut them in 1/4-inch dice.
Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan. Add the carrot-and-onion mixture, the chili powders and the cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the lentils. Add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are falling apart. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, or as a thick soup.
MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD
Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live. However, you might be able to check out a few episodes by Google-ing his name for the latest places that show him, or on YouTube. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe yields 1 loaf.
Ingredients:
1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.
Directions:
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.
Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)
About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.
Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.
FRESH TOMATO SOUP
This comes from Stephanie Gallagher, About.com’s Cooking for Families expert. Stephanie wrote, “When your garden is overflowing with fresh tomatoes, this is the soup to make. Not only does this recipe showcase the sweet flavor of fresh tomatoes beautifully, it is also extremely versatile. You can make this soup with any fresh tomatoes you have, from cherry tomatoes to beefsteak tomatoes. By pureeing the soup, you don't need to seed or peel the tomatoes - everything just gets mixed in the blender - and you don't need any cream either.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: This recipe originally called for vegetable or chicken broth. Since this is a vegetarian blog, I've omitted the chicken broth and am leaving it as only the vegetable broth.
Ingredients
6 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (any kind)
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart vegetable broth broth
kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1-3 teaspoons sugar
chopped fresh basil (for garnish)
Preparation
Place tomatoes, onions, garlic and broth in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, and let simmer 20 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the onions and garlic are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer mixture in batches to a blender, and puree until smooth (I use my Vita-Mix Blender (compare prices), which I love, but it is pricey.)
Heat butter in another large soup pot over medium heat. Add flour, whisking until mixture turns golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk the pureed tomato soup into butter-flour roux. Stir balsamic vinegar and sugar into the soup. Heat until tomato soup thickens. Taste, and adjust seasonings (add more salt, pepper, vinegar and/or sugar, as needed).
Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve, garnished with chopped fresh basil. Or let the soup cool completely, and transfer to freezer-safe containers to freeze.
SOFT GINGER COOKIES
This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.
To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.
Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g
MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD
Servings: 5
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/4.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup Italian dressing (low-calorie)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Combine Italian dressing and pepper in a medium bowl; stir well.
Add cucumber, onion, radishes, and parsley.
Toss gently to coat.
Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Serve salad and enjoy.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 21; Protein: Trace g; Fat: Trace g; Sodium: 5 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Exchanges: Free
ASPARAGUS-PESTO LASAGNA
This is from the April 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “This recipe uses two popular Italian lasagna fillings: asparagus and pesto.” Serves 10.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/asparagus-pesto-lasagna/
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk, divided
6 Tbs. pesto*, or more to taste
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish, optional
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/4 lb. asparagus spears, tips cut off and reserved, spears trimmed and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)
2 cups shredded Fontina or part-skim mozzarella cheese (8 oz.), divided
Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk flour and 1/2 cup milk in saucepan until smooth. Gradually whisk in remaining milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute, or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in pesto, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 cup white sauce.
Warm oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped asparagus (not tips) and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Coat 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place layer of noodles in dish, overlapping slightly. Layer with half of cooked asparagus, 3/4 cup Fontina and half of sauce. Add another layer of pasta, remaining sauce, remaining cooked asparagus and 3/4 cup Fontina. Top with layer of noodles, then with reserved 1 cup white sauce. Arrange reserved asparagus tips over top and sprinkle with remaining Fontina.
Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes; serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
* Look for the freshest, most flavorful pesto in the refrigerator section of the supermarket, packaged in vacuum-sealed bags or in plastic tubs.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 413; Protein: 21 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 44 g; Cholesterol: 44 mg; Sodium: 686 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 8 g
