New Year's Eve

I'm not superstitious in the least or much for most tradition. But, I do love a food theme I can, so to speak -- sink my teeth into. Though I did not don the traditional red underwear of Italian New Year's eve, I did gather up a meal of lentils and sausages. The round lentils representing coins are said to bring abundance and good fortune in the coming year.
Usually the sausage would be cotechino (I've done that some years), something like an uncured salami that is generally boiled for several hours before serving. Our hurry up version of the Italian classic was just hot Italian sausage which I browned in olive oil (with onions and garlic) and then -- with a cover on the pan -- cooked through with a splash of red wine and water (the sausage steamed through for about 15 minutes -- I tossed in pre-cooked lentils for the last 5 minutes).
For a little bit of American style I served the sausage in a stack with a smattering of bright green kale -- a harbinger of the dollars to come our way in 2015.
Farewell 2014!

Lentil Stew

It's so easy to get in a rut. Night after night look down at dinner and see meat, a vegetable and a starch. Every now and then I have to wrestle free and muscle in a dish that breaks the ho-hum mold. Tonight I surfed through the pantry and came across a bag of Umbrian lentils. Nutty, buttery and delicious they are a produce specialty (and chef's favorite) from central Italy.
Thinking back to a recipe from Mozza chef Matt Molina I cooked them slowly for an almost creamy thick stew.
I rendered the fat from a handful of chopped prosciutto in a warm sauce and then added in finely chopped garlic (2 cloves), carrot (1 large), onion (1 medium), and -- because I had them -- Padrón peppers (3). The vegetable sautéed for about 8 minutes. I raised the heat to high and stirred in about 1 TB tomato paste and cooked about 1 minute.Next, following Molina's method I stirred in 1/2 pound of lentils and 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth. The lentils simmered and cooked about 25 minutes. I added in another cup of broth and let them cook another 10. One last 1/2 cup of broth and 10 minutes of simmering created a kind of creamy sauce around the lentils which I seasoned with salt and pepper.
To serve I fried a fresh egg in a slick of olive oil, scattered arugula and feta cheese over the lentils and drizzled everything with a touch of balsamic vinegar.
Dinner in a bowl. No meat, no sides, no starch, no rut.

Monday Night Lentil Soup

The air is turning crisp up in these parts and that calls for soup. Quick cooking lentils are just the thing for busy Mondays.
I started with a recipe by Melissa Clark, writer of The New York Time's " A Good Appetite" column. It seemed simple enough, I had a few other chores going and I was just going to follow a simple recipe and make sure dinner was on the table relatively early. I'm not sure where it is I go astray. Dutifully following along suddenly my mind started to wander to the tube of harissa, a North African chili sauce of which I am absurdly fond, in the fridge. Once I'd gone in that direction the simple pot of soup called out for warm spices -- saffron, cinnamon, ginger, coriander. My adapted version was just the right dish for an evening turned cold. Try it at home.

Monday Night Lentil Soup

4 TB olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large shallots, chopped (I could have used two onions but I didn't have another)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB tomato paste
1 1/2 TB (or to taste) harissa
salt (about 3/4 tsp kosher salt) and pepper to taste
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups red lentils
3 carrots, peeled and diced
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat until hot and just shimmering.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, harissa, and all of the spices (except the saffron threads). Let cook about 2 minutes longer. Add the broth, 2 cups of water, lentils, carrots and saffron threads. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for about 30 minutes until lentils are soft. Taste and add salt if needed. If desired, purée half the soup with an immersion or countertop blender for a slightly thicker soup with smoother texture (don't go too smooth). Return the soup to the pot, reheat slowly and stir in the lemon juice and 12 of the chopped cilantro, reserve the rest or garnish.

If we weren't in the midst of "clean eating" challenge at home I might have drizzled the top of the soup with olive oil or better yet fried up some garlicky croutons but even on it's own this simple soup got no complaints.

Legumes and Eggs

James is trying to eat less meat, gluten free, no sugar, and low fat. Makes for challenging menu planning to say the least. When we decided to have the neighbors over for dinner and a movie night I was really scratching my head and searching the pantry for ideas and landed on a long forgotten bag of Umbrian lentils. Tiny and brown, Umbrian lentils, grown exclusively in Italy's Castelluccio valley, cook to a creamy texture and nutty flavor in just 20-30 minutes. They are hand processed, grown in alternate (or maybe third) years and are tastier and more expensive than any other lentils I've cooked.
Starting from a recipe by Nancy Silverton's restaurant chef Matt Molina (Silverton's Italian home is in Umbria) I sautéed chopped prosciutto in a tiny amount of olive oil  and added in 2 small carrots, chiles, shallot, and basil leaves I chopped in the food processor along with a chopped onion and several cloves of garlic. I let the vegetables soften for about 7 minutes and then added in 1 Tb of tomato paste. After the tomato paste cooked just a bit I added in 1pound of lentils, 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water.
I'm to sure why Molina instructed to add another 2 cups of broth after the lentils had simmered for 25 minutes, but I did. and then after another 10 minutes of simmering, as instructed, I added in the last cup of liquid (by now I was using vegetable stock I had saved in the fridge) and let the stew simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
Our girls are enjoying a nice long post molting vacation from laying so I had to use store bought eggs -- the horror - which I lightly fried in the thinest slick of olive oil possible. Serving family style instead of plating as Molina recommended I layered the eggs on top of the stew, drizzled on balsamic vinegar, sprinkled just a whisper of parmesan cheese and a tossed handful of bitter arugula leaves.
Rustic, homestyle Italian

Lentil Soup

We've had a couple days of lovely spring rain. Everything looks so green and bright and the new plants could not be happier. The days are crisp but not too cold, birds are everywhere, the sun takes it's time hiding in the west. The fresh wet days seemed like a perfect time for a soup and salad dinner -- especially with leftover Easter ham ready to be used. I started out as I do with most soups by sautéing carrots, onions and celery in olive oil. I tossed in fresh thyme, chopped garlic, crushed red peppers and S&P. After pouring in 1 cup of lentils, about 6 cups of chicken broth, 1 small can of tomatoes (canned from last year's garden) I left the soup to simmer (after coming to  a boil) for 20 minutes and then added in diced, peeled potatoes, cubed ham and mounds of chopped kale. After another 15 minutes simmering I was ready to bring soup to the table topped with piquant pecorino cheese and zesty garlic flavored olive oil. A wintery dish for a blustery spring day.

More Gifts From The Garden

Time to tackle the spawning bundle of chard in the fridge. 

Chopping, washing, chopping, washing, chopping, washing. Soup.
I started cooking some lentils in water and chicken stock with thyme, fresh oregano and salt. As the lentils simmered toward tenderness I started some olive oil in a pan and sautéed diced carrots, celery, onions, and garlic until almost soft. I added in the chard and a good sized bunch of chopped green onions. When the chard had just wilted I added the contents of the sauté pan to the lentils, gave everything a good stir and let it simmer for 15 minutes more. added a splash of hot sauce and a dash of balsamic vinegar just before ladling James' soup into a bowl topped with a dollop of fresh goat cheese.
Summer soup for a cool July night.

Simple Dinner Salad

There was so much going on today at the house I couldn't be sure when James would be ready for dinner. I needed something hearty (lots of digging and trenching) that could still be put together on short notice -- and didn't need to be hot so I could get dinner prepped in advance. I settled on a dinner salad with lentils, arugula, goat cheese, and butternut squash roasted with olive oil, S&P and a sprinkle of chili powder. When James came in I mixed all the prepared ingredients together, sprinkled a little mint on top and tossed his salad in a tangy balsamic, oregano vinaigrette.

Sunday Soup

James was feeling a little under the weather so soup seemed just the thing. Plus he loves broccoli rabe and I happened to have an easy recipe tucked away for lentil soup topped with the tasty, bitter vegetable.
First I started chopped onion (1), 2 stalks of celery, 2 carrots carrot, 1 plum tomato and 3 cloves of garlic sautéing in olive oil (I started the onion first and then added the other vegetables to give the onion a chance to soften). Then I added in two cups of green lentils, 4 cups of chicken broth, 4 1/2 cups of water, 2 bay leaves, S&P, and several sprigs of thyme. I brought the soup up to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes, just until the lentils were tender. I had some cooked rice in the fridge so I added that into the pot and heated it through. When the soup was finished I added a splash of lemon juice to the pot for a little acidity.
Meanwhile I boiled the chopped broccoli rabe in salted water for about 4 minutes. I topped the soup with a sprinkle of goat cheese, broccoli rate, and a drizzle of flavorful olive oil.
Mmmmm soup.

Lentil Soup

Today just felt cold to me. Honestly it wasn't really as frigid as it felt but I just couldn't warm up. So what's the perfect dinner for a cold day? Soup. Hearty, homemade, soup. I barely had enough ingredients to get the pot going but I stared as I usually do with chopped onions, garlic, celery and carrot sin a bit of olive oil. I let the vegetables cook until the onion was soft and translucent and then added in lentils, a bay leaf, chopped parsley, thyme, salt, crushed red peppers, and because I didn't have very many lentils a drained can or garbanzo beans. I covered everything with about 6 cups of chicken broth and a little water and brought the mixture up to a boil. After simmering for 20 minutes I brought James soup to the table topped with sautéed bits of Italian sausage for a little extra flavor and shavings of parmesan cheese. I had mine as it came out of the pot -- more diet friendly that way.

Indian Spice

I can't remember when the cupboard has been this bare. Cauliflower keeps for a while. The lentils were pre-cooked and packaged for long fridge storage. Not exactly the self righteous farm to table schenanigans we specialize in around here. I decided to cover my shopping failure with spice. A rich Indian dish with chiles and ginger and lots of cumin seed -- a play on a recipe in one of Madha Jaffrey's cookbooks. I roasted the cauliflower and small cubes of potatoes, seasoned with whole cumin seed, S&P, and tossed in peanut and grapeseed oil at 450º for about 20 minutes until the potatoes were tender and the cauliflower just lightly browned.

Meanwhile on the stove I cooked a cubed onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and about 2 tsp minced fresh ginger in about 2 TB of canola oil. When the onion was good and browned I added in a 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp ground coriander, and 1/4 tsp cayenne and cooked over high heat for about 2 minutes. I stirred 3/4 cup water into the pan, scraped up all the browned bits on the bottom and stirred in the roasted cauliflower, potatoes and the cooked lentils. When the vegetables and legumes were heated through I served James his bare cupboard curry over basmati rice with a drizzle of mustard oil.

A New Kind Of Risotto

Though I didn't quite make it her way, dinner tonight was another idea from Martha. The Living version folded sautéed Swiss chard and cooked lentils into a risotto topped with fresh radicchio.. I had just harvested winter's last collard greens from our garden so I substituted that more bitter green and used a convenient package of Trader Joe's precooked black lentils I happened to have in the fridge. Pretty much following Martha's lead I sautéed the greens in olive oil for about 4 minutes and set them aside. In a separate pan I heated more olive oil and added in two halved and thinly sliced leeks, 1 large chopped shallot, and 3 minced cloves of garlic. After about 3 minutes, in went 1 1/4 cup arborio rice and 6 sprigs of fresh thyme. I sautéed the rice until it was a bit translucent and had picked up the oil from the pan and added in about 1/2 cup of white wine. When the wine had cooked off I seasoned the rice and started to add chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and letting the rice soften as the liquid cooked away. When the rice was nearly cooked through I added in the green and the lentils and the last of the chicken broth (I used about 5 cups total). Just before serving I mixed in -- departing from martha's more streamlined version -- some soft, tangy delicious Delice de Bourgogne washed-rind cheese for a creamy texture and plated James' risotto topped with a shower of fresh radicchio, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dusting of parmesan cheese.

Soup For Supper

I knew late days were coming so I pre-made this soup -- up to stirring in the home grown escarole -- to have dinner ready in a jiffy. I cooked lentils in water and chicken broth with chopped garlic and fresh bay leaves from our garden. In a separate pot I sautéed bite-sized slices of Italian sausage until browned. I removed the sausage from the pan and cooked minced garlic, chopped onions, carrots and celery in the sausage fat (along with a little olive oil) then added back in the sausage and the lentils in their liquid, seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked until the lentils were tender. At that point I put the soup away in the fridge until tonight when I brought it back up to a simmer, added in big handfuls of chopped escarole and allowed the soup to bubble for about 3 minutes until the greens were tender. To serve I sprinkled the soup with parmesan cheese and heated up some homemade bread from the freezer. A perfect late night dinner.

Crock Pot Lentil Soup

While rushing to get out the door a crock pot can be dinnertime's best friend. I chopped an onion and a couple carrots and tossed them in the crock pot along with 2 cups of dried lentils (I happened to have yellow lentils), a heavy tsp of thyme, 3 chopped cloves of garlic, salt, and 8 cups of vegetable broth. Eight (maybe 10) hours later we had dinner.

Soup In Indian Summer

The other day while flipping channels I stopped to watch one of Martha Stewart's minions (I think it was Lucinda Scala Quinn) stir up a pot of lentil vegetable soup. In spite of LA's record heat, that soup looked so good I decided to whip some up for dinner, with a couple additions of my own.

I sautéed chopped smoked sausage, onions, celery and carrots along with a hefty amount of minced garlic and a teaspoon of salt in olive oil for about 5 minutes. I added a chopped tomato and cooked a bit longer, then a good dollop of tomato paste and stirred the mixture around to cook for another 2 minutes or so. In went 2 cups of lentils, about a teaspoon of thyme, 2 bay leaves, more salt, and a pinch of chile flakes along with about 4 cups of water and close to 11 cups of chicken broth. I brought everything to a boil and simmered the soup for about 20 minutes until the lentils were tender. The last step -- as directed by my TV hostess, was to stir in about 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar (homemade right out of our kitchen cask) for a bit of flavor punch.

To serve, as instructed by the TV, I made a pan of garlic croutons. Cubes of slightly stale bread (about 1 inch square) tossed in a hot pan with olive oil and two whole cloves of garlic until golden brown and crispy. The soup was good, but the croutons gave it a little something extra -- and so easy, all in a skillet -- no tray of cubes to burn in the oven, and ready to go.

Even on a hot night, soup is "a good thing." Garlic croutons are even better.

Crock Pot Strikes Again

Honestly some days crock pot cooking isn't as dreamy as the 1970's women's magazine would have you believe. Roasts don't brown (unless you have time to sear them before turning on the cooker), texture can leave a bit to be desired and the convenience can't quite make up for the often missing depth of flavor that comes from more steps and more kitchen time. Sigh.

But. For some dishes the slow moist heat adds a magic all it's own. Lentils, beans, legumes of all kinds are perfect partners.

For this simple soup, based on a recipe I found from The Art of the Slow Cooker by Andrew Schloss, I tossed in 2 cups of red lentils, 1 peeled and chopped butternut squash, olive oil (3 TB), 4 cloves of garlic, 2 large diced onions, 1 large can of tomatoes (our homegrown of course), ground coriander (2 tsp), cumin (1 tsp), turmeric (1 tsp), paprika (1/2 tsp), cinnamon (1/2 tsp), S&P, and 6 cups of chicken broth. The recipe was written to brown the onions first, but I was in a hurry and everything went in together and cooked for 10 hours on low heat. To serve -- on a hearty bed of steamed rice -- I poured on a drizzle of my most pungent olive oil, sprinkled on feta cheese, toasted some baguette croutons with olive oil and za'atar (a Middle Eastern salt and spice mix that is delicious on steamed vegetables, toasted breads, grilled meats -- just about everything) which I liberally dusted over the surface of the soup.

Almost vegetarian -- totally delicious. A crock pot winner.