I'll admit, I felt a little out of my element on this one. I adore all things containing beets and borscht is easily one of the first things I think of when I think of beets. My friend, Esther, makes the best borscht I have ever tasted, but I've always struggled with my love of it because it features beef almost as prominently as those magenta-hued taproots. Combine this love of borscht with an abundance of beets and a strong desire to keep cooking veg meals, the quest for vegetarian borscht was on!
I had my parameters pretty clear in my mind: I wanted something quick and/or simple that relied more on the strength of its veggies rather than a lot of grain/bean/legume filler. Not that I don't love my grains/beans/legumes - quite the contrary, as this blog will attest - I just didn't want them in the borscht, if they could be circumvented. Along those lines, I wanted the vegetables involved to stand out, for it to be pretty clear what each of them was. Several web searches yielded promising results, but nothing was quite what I was looking for. One recipe called for grating the beets before cooking them, which seemed a little odd at first, but on second thought I might give it a try if I make the soup again. Others called for ample additions of beans or lentils, something I'd already decided I didn't want. And so it was after about 45 minutes of interesting but ulitmately unsatisfying searching that my eyes began to wander in the direction of my slow-cooker (side-note: I need to come up with a name for her - it's definitely a "her"). And I was at it again, chop and toss and set on high while I scampered off to work (the midnight shift, bleargh).
I was happy enough with the results, but next time I might take a different approach. I had debated roasting the veggies before adding them to the slow-cooker, but was afraid they might fall apart completely (over-cooked beets = ewwww). Looking back, they probably would have been fine as long as the slow-cooker was on Low instead of High for those eight hours. That said, I let the raw veggies cook longer than eight hours altogether to make sure the beets were done. In the process, they lost all of their color and the soup itself took on a strange reddish-orange color. But it tasted great, so I'm not too concerned :)
Borscht for a Slow-cooker
1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
3-4 medium beets, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small sticks
1 large onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 bay leaves
1 28-oz can crushed/diced tomatoes
1/2-3/4 cup nutritional yeast
dried thyme
1 teaspoon dill seed, ground
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed, ground
2-3 Tablespoons liquid aminos/tamari/soy sauce
2 Tablespoons miso paste
flavored vinegar to taste (balsamic, red wine, cider)
salt and pepper to taste
water
To top: lemon juice, (vegan) sour cream, fresh dill weed
Combine everything in a slow-cooker and add enough water to cover. Set on high and check after six hours, continue cooking until all veggies are tender. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of (vegan) sour cream, a splash of lemon juice and fresh dill weed.
01 December 2009
29 November 2009
Soup for Sally: Four-Bean and Kale
I love my slow-cooker. I love that I found it at a garage sale along with my pocket knife, tea pot, and lazy Susan that inspired Will to make me an amazing rotating Scrabble board. I love that it is huge and that one batch of soup made in it produces about 3 quart-sized containers. But what I really love is the whole idea of a slow-cooker: Throw a bunch of delicious things into it, put on high for a couple hours, and return home from a long day to a house that smells of pure delicious. My slow-cooker saves me money by allowing me to use dried beans in soups instead of canned - just soak them overnight (or cover with water, bring to a boil, then kill the heat and wait an hour). The flavors of the food are better - more beany goodness! - and nothing falls apart because there's hardly any agitation during the cooking process.
As a result of the "throw everything in and wait for the yum to happen" mentality, I hardly ever make the same soup twice (or most other foods, for that matter!). The beans are always a mixture of whatever I have on hand - chickpeas, red beans, black beans, kidney beans, maybe lentils - while the vegetables always include the staples - onions, carrots/celery, garlic - with whatever needs to be used up. I've learned from experience that it's best to keep it simple where spices and herbs are concerned. Bay leaves are a must, as is cumin for most of my bean soups, while dried oregano or thyme go well in tomato-based soups. Salt and pepper are usually best saved until the end, along with vinegars or lemon juice, since they'll toughen the beans' skins.
This bean soup combined all the different beans I had with what was left in my bare storage room - some onions, garlic, a big can of tomatoes. I put in close to a cup of nutritional yeast to act as a thickener - that extra vitamin B-12 won't hurt ya either - and used a dash of vinegar at the end. The final addition, after the soup was basically done, was 2-3 cups of kale that I had blanched and frozen this summer. The result was a delicious soup packed with healthy vitamins and minerals for mama and the baby :)
Slow-Cooker Bean Soup with Kale
1 1/2 cups dried beans (any mixture will do)
Soak the beans overnight - make sure they are covered by about two inches of water, since they will expand. Alternatively, cover them with at least two inches of water and bring them to a boil, then take them off the heat and let rest for at least one hour.
Drain and rinse the beans and empty into the slow-cooker. Add:
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 jalapeno peppers, minced (more to taste, the heat develops as the soup ages)
2 bay leaves
1 28 oz can of diced/crushed tomatoes
1/2-1 cup nutritional yeast
enough water to cover everything
Set the slow-cooker on High and let it work its magic until the beans are cooked through (I left mine on while I was at work, so 8 hours, but it could go even longer). Once the beans are cooked, add:
2-3 cups (as much will fit) blanched kale or collard greens
more nutritional yeast if needed
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic or sherry vinegar to taste
Turn the slow-cooker off or to Low and wait until the kale or collards are tender enough to eat. Taste again for seasoning and serve hot.
As a result of the "throw everything in and wait for the yum to happen" mentality, I hardly ever make the same soup twice (or most other foods, for that matter!). The beans are always a mixture of whatever I have on hand - chickpeas, red beans, black beans, kidney beans, maybe lentils - while the vegetables always include the staples - onions, carrots/celery, garlic - with whatever needs to be used up. I've learned from experience that it's best to keep it simple where spices and herbs are concerned. Bay leaves are a must, as is cumin for most of my bean soups, while dried oregano or thyme go well in tomato-based soups. Salt and pepper are usually best saved until the end, along with vinegars or lemon juice, since they'll toughen the beans' skins.
This bean soup combined all the different beans I had with what was left in my bare storage room - some onions, garlic, a big can of tomatoes. I put in close to a cup of nutritional yeast to act as a thickener - that extra vitamin B-12 won't hurt ya either - and used a dash of vinegar at the end. The final addition, after the soup was basically done, was 2-3 cups of kale that I had blanched and frozen this summer. The result was a delicious soup packed with healthy vitamins and minerals for mama and the baby :)
Slow-Cooker Bean Soup with Kale
1 1/2 cups dried beans (any mixture will do)
Soak the beans overnight - make sure they are covered by about two inches of water, since they will expand. Alternatively, cover them with at least two inches of water and bring them to a boil, then take them off the heat and let rest for at least one hour.
Drain and rinse the beans and empty into the slow-cooker. Add:
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 jalapeno peppers, minced (more to taste, the heat develops as the soup ages)
2 bay leaves
1 28 oz can of diced/crushed tomatoes
1/2-1 cup nutritional yeast
enough water to cover everything
Set the slow-cooker on High and let it work its magic until the beans are cooked through (I left mine on while I was at work, so 8 hours, but it could go even longer). Once the beans are cooked, add:
2-3 cups (as much will fit) blanched kale or collard greens
more nutritional yeast if needed
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic or sherry vinegar to taste
Turn the slow-cooker off or to Low and wait until the kale or collards are tender enough to eat. Taste again for seasoning and serve hot.
22 November 2009
Soup for Sally: Roasted Pumpkin and Root Veggie
I feel like there are still some DCF recipes I've yet to upload, but for now I want to post the most recent creation. Recent as in last night.
My friend, Sally, is within weeks/days/hours(?) of adding a new little guy or gal to her family up on Green Garden Hill. So in preparation for her lazing about the house and eating bon-bons (yeah, right), I'm whipping up a few soups that she can have on hand for when there's no time/energy to make food for her family after a day of chasing after a toddler and dog whilst caring for an infant. She's an amazing woman, so only the finest will do! Here's my first concoction for the expectant mama.
Roasting veggies is the easiest thing in the world; really the most difficult part is all the chopping, but if you're handy with a knife - which, I'm proud to say, I am - it's actually quite quick. The important thing is to make sure all your components are roughly the same size - the smaller they are, the quicker they'll roast. I like to do about 1 1/2-2-inch chunks for soup, it saves time. If the roasted goodness is going to be turned into soup goodness, you'll want to peel things like potatoes and carrots, but I left the peel on the pumpkin so it would hold together while roasting. And it's not like it's difficult to get cooked pumpkin off the rind.
When all your veggies are chopped and on a baking sheet or roasting pan, give everything a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and no more than two other dried or fresh herbs/spices (more than that and all the flavours get muddled). Lately I've been favouring Hungarian paprika and fresh thyme sprigs. Drizzle everything with a few teaspoons of olive oil and toss until everything's coated with oil. Then cover with foil and roast at 425 F until you can easily stick a fork into the veggies.
After everything's roasted, you can put it all into the food processor and let the machine do the work of mashing - which is a good idea if you have big chunks of onion or fennel, as I did - or just throw everything in the soup pot and squish with a fork. Then you're just a few cups of water or broth away from yummy yummy soup. Here's what I did for Sally's soup:
1 small pumpkin (or other hard winter squash), seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 fennel bulbs, quartered
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6-8 whole cloves garlic, peeled
sea salt
black pepper
paprika
olive oil
several cups veggie broth or water
splash of sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
other seasonings to taste
Combine the vegetables and fresh herbs and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Cover with foil and roast at 425 F for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are easily pierced with a fork. Allow to cool slightly and remove rind from pumpkin, discard rind. Discard thyme sprigs and place pumpkin and other veggies in a food processor. Pulse until mashed but still chunky. Combine vegetable mash in a soup pot with 4-6 cups of veggie broth or water and remaining ingredients. Season to taste with other spices, such as turmeric, curry, cumin, etc. Serve hot.
My friend, Sally, is within weeks/days/hours(?) of adding a new little guy or gal to her family up on Green Garden Hill. So in preparation for her lazing about the house and eating bon-bons (yeah, right), I'm whipping up a few soups that she can have on hand for when there's no time/energy to make food for her family after a day of chasing after a toddler and dog whilst caring for an infant. She's an amazing woman, so only the finest will do! Here's my first concoction for the expectant mama.
Roasting veggies is the easiest thing in the world; really the most difficult part is all the chopping, but if you're handy with a knife - which, I'm proud to say, I am - it's actually quite quick. The important thing is to make sure all your components are roughly the same size - the smaller they are, the quicker they'll roast. I like to do about 1 1/2-2-inch chunks for soup, it saves time. If the roasted goodness is going to be turned into soup goodness, you'll want to peel things like potatoes and carrots, but I left the peel on the pumpkin so it would hold together while roasting. And it's not like it's difficult to get cooked pumpkin off the rind.
When all your veggies are chopped and on a baking sheet or roasting pan, give everything a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and no more than two other dried or fresh herbs/spices (more than that and all the flavours get muddled). Lately I've been favouring Hungarian paprika and fresh thyme sprigs. Drizzle everything with a few teaspoons of olive oil and toss until everything's coated with oil. Then cover with foil and roast at 425 F until you can easily stick a fork into the veggies.
After everything's roasted, you can put it all into the food processor and let the machine do the work of mashing - which is a good idea if you have big chunks of onion or fennel, as I did - or just throw everything in the soup pot and squish with a fork. Then you're just a few cups of water or broth away from yummy yummy soup. Here's what I did for Sally's soup:
1 small pumpkin (or other hard winter squash), seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 fennel bulbs, quartered
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6-8 whole cloves garlic, peeled
sea salt
black pepper
paprika
olive oil
several cups veggie broth or water
splash of sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
other seasonings to taste
Combine the vegetables and fresh herbs and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Cover with foil and roast at 425 F for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are easily pierced with a fork. Allow to cool slightly and remove rind from pumpkin, discard rind. Discard thyme sprigs and place pumpkin and other veggies in a food processor. Pulse until mashed but still chunky. Combine vegetable mash in a soup pot with 4-6 cups of veggie broth or water and remaining ingredients. Season to taste with other spices, such as turmeric, curry, cumin, etc. Serve hot.
01 November 2009
Gingered Carrots
Gingered Carrots
2 cups sliced carrots (approximately one large bunch)
1 thinly sliced onion
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons ground ginger (more to taste)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (more to taste)
some lemon or lime juice
a little water
Cook the onion in a heavy-bottomed skillet until it starts to brown, then add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the sliced carrots, spices and a little lemon or lime juice and stir to combine. Cover and lower the heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are cooked through (add more lemon juice or water if the liquid in the pan gets low). Taste and add more ginger if desired. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice and serve hot or cold.
Variation: Add a dollop of soy yogurt or sour cream when the carrots are almost done and continue cooking with the lid on. You can also sprinkle the finished product with toasted sesame seeds or minced cilantro or parsley.
Refrigerator Pickles (w/Pickling Spice)
Isn't it funny how squash and cucumbers just sneak up on you? You walk
by the plants everyday, but all of a sudden you notice a flash of
yellow, or green, or white and realize there are tons of massive
fruits on every plant! It must be those giant leaves...A few weeks
ago, I turned some of those sneaky squash into refrigerator pickles
and this week I'm devouring the result. I borrowed this recipe for
refrigerator pickles from Alton Brown (of Food Network's "Good Eats"),
but my version uses a little less sugar. For those who don't know (I
didn't when I first read this recipe!), pickling spice is just a
mixture of different whole spices - like peppercorns, juniper,
cinnamon, ginger, etc - and you can buy it already made up in the
store. Or you can make your own, and since my kitchen is already
stocked with most of the whole spices it calls for, that's what I did.
Regarding the pickles themselves, I suppose you could process them as
you would for regular canning if you want to store them on the shelf,
but they'll probably lose some of their crispness. If you've got the
fridge space, they'll keep in there as long as you can keep from
eating them! Extra: After the pickles are gone, combine the leftover
brine with some olive oil for a kickin' vinaigrette.
Refrigerator Pickles
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini/cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
large pinch of kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon pickling spice
Layer the onion and zucchini/cucumbers in a jar (try to pack tightly).
Combine the other ingredients in a non-reactive pan (enameled cookware
works well for this) and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the hot brine over
the onion and zucchini/cucumbers to fill the jar. Remove any air
bubbles and allow to cool somewhat, top off with any remaining liquid,
then tightly lid the jars. Refrigerate at least a week before
consuming.
Pickling Spice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon crumbled whole mace
1 teaspoon dill seeds
4 dried bay leaves
1 small piece dried ginger
Place all spices in a sturdy plastic bag, use a mallet or rolling pin
to break up the cinnamon sticks and ginger. Store in a small, airtight
jar up to 2 months. Makes about 1/4 cup.
by the plants everyday, but all of a sudden you notice a flash of
yellow, or green, or white and realize there are tons of massive
fruits on every plant! It must be those giant leaves...A few weeks
ago, I turned some of those sneaky squash into refrigerator pickles
and this week I'm devouring the result. I borrowed this recipe for
refrigerator pickles from Alton Brown (of Food Network's "Good Eats"),
but my version uses a little less sugar. For those who don't know (I
didn't when I first read this recipe!), pickling spice is just a
mixture of different whole spices - like peppercorns, juniper,
cinnamon, ginger, etc - and you can buy it already made up in the
store. Or you can make your own, and since my kitchen is already
stocked with most of the whole spices it calls for, that's what I did.
Regarding the pickles themselves, I suppose you could process them as
you would for regular canning if you want to store them on the shelf,
but they'll probably lose some of their crispness. If you've got the
fridge space, they'll keep in there as long as you can keep from
eating them! Extra: After the pickles are gone, combine the leftover
brine with some olive oil for a kickin' vinaigrette.
Refrigerator Pickles
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini/cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
large pinch of kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon pickling spice
Layer the onion and zucchini/cucumbers in a jar (try to pack tightly).
Combine the other ingredients in a non-reactive pan (enameled cookware
works well for this) and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the hot brine over
the onion and zucchini/cucumbers to fill the jar. Remove any air
bubbles and allow to cool somewhat, top off with any remaining liquid,
then tightly lid the jars. Refrigerate at least a week before
consuming.
Pickling Spice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon crumbled whole mace
1 teaspoon dill seeds
4 dried bay leaves
1 small piece dried ginger
Place all spices in a sturdy plastic bag, use a mallet or rolling pin
to break up the cinnamon sticks and ginger. Store in a small, airtight
jar up to 2 months. Makes about 1/4 cup.
Dilly Beans
Looking for a good recipe to use on those buckets of u-pick beans from Dancing Crane? I've got just the thing: Dilly Beans! This recipe comes from my boyfriend's mom, Mary, whose dilly beans are the best I've ever tasted. I made six pints over the weekend, and I'm sure I'll be making a lot more. My next plan is to try this recipe with the Dragon Beans. We've got tons of beans and lots of dill and garlic, so get pickling!
Dilly Beans
Brine:
2 1/2 cups water
4 T salt
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 t sugar
Heat to boiling
2 1/2 cups water
4 T salt
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 t sugar
Heat to boiling
Method:
Wash and trim 3 lbs green beans, then cut them in 4" lengths. Blanch in small batches for 5-7 minutes, then chill in ice water and drain. In each sterilized pint jar put 1 head of dill, about a half to one whole clove of peeled garlic and some red pepper flakes (optional). Pack the beans in as tight as possible. Fill the jar to within 1/4" from the top with brine and lid tightly. Seal in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Wait at least five weeks before opening.
22 October 2009
Spicy Peanut Stir-Fry Sauce
Stir-fry sauces don't have to be elaborate - most of mine consist of oil, tamari, some sort of juice, sweetener, and ginger and garlic. Sometimes I'll add hot sauce or cayenne for more kick. This sauce can be made spicy or mild, though I usually err on the side of spicy. I imagine cashew butter could easily be substituted for the peanut butter.
Spicy Peanut Sauce
3/4 cup peanut butter (the kind without salt or sugar is best)
3/4 cup hot water
6 Tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons tamari
3 Tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground mustard
cayenne, red pepper flakes, hot sauce to taste
Whisk the peanut butter and hot water until smooth, then whisk in other ingredients. Add sauce to stir-fry when vegetables are almost done and heat thoroughly. Top with minced cilantro and/or scallions, serve over rice with wedges of lime.
Spicy Peanut Sauce
3/4 cup peanut butter (the kind without salt or sugar is best)
3/4 cup hot water
6 Tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons tamari
3 Tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground mustard
cayenne, red pepper flakes, hot sauce to taste
Whisk the peanut butter and hot water until smooth, then whisk in other ingredients. Add sauce to stir-fry when vegetables are almost done and heat thoroughly. Top with minced cilantro and/or scallions, serve over rice with wedges of lime.
Lentils and Curried Rice with Fried Onions
This is one of my favorite waiting-for-payday-to-go-grocery-shopping recipes because the ingredients are things that I almost always have on hand, even when the fridge and pantry are close to empty. The flavors meld together even better when the mixture sits a few days in the fridge. This pairs well with a salad of greens and some grilled veggies.
Lentils and Curried Rice with Fried Onions
Oil for frying
3-5 onions, thinly sliced (choose how oniony you like yours, they add a rich, almost sweet flavor to the dish once they're cooked)
Salt
1 cup lentils
1 cup long-grain white rice (I use basmati, but I'm sure brown rice or quinoa would also work)
1 1/2 Tbs curry powder, or garam masala
1/8 tsp cayenne (or more :D )
2 cups water
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat some oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add one third of onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate and season with salt. Fry remaining onions in 2 batches, adding more oil as necessary.
Combine lentils with cold well-salted water to cover by 2 inches in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook lentils at a bare simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve and gently rinse under cold water.
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs oil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add curry and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1 tsp salt and 2 cups water, bring to a boil, and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until surface of rice is covered with steam holes and grains on top appear dry, about 12 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, cover pan with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15 minutes more. Remove rice from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer rice to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Add lentils and parsley and toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with onions.
Variations:
- Top with toasted sesame or flax seeds.
- While still warm, mix in 1/3 cup raisins or sultanas
- If serving the lentils and rice cold, mix in grated carrots
Lentils and Curried Rice with Fried Onions
Oil for frying
3-5 onions, thinly sliced (choose how oniony you like yours, they add a rich, almost sweet flavor to the dish once they're cooked)
Salt
1 cup lentils
1 cup long-grain white rice (I use basmati, but I'm sure brown rice or quinoa would also work)
1 1/2 Tbs curry powder, or garam masala
1/8 tsp cayenne (or more :D )
2 cups water
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat some oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add one third of onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate and season with salt. Fry remaining onions in 2 batches, adding more oil as necessary.
Combine lentils with cold well-salted water to cover by 2 inches in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook lentils at a bare simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve and gently rinse under cold water.
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs oil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add curry and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1 tsp salt and 2 cups water, bring to a boil, and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until surface of rice is covered with steam holes and grains on top appear dry, about 12 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, cover pan with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15 minutes more. Remove rice from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer rice to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Add lentils and parsley and toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with onions.
Variations:
- Top with toasted sesame or flax seeds.
- While still warm, mix in 1/3 cup raisins or sultanas
- If serving the lentils and rice cold, mix in grated carrots
Miso-Glazed Beets
Excellent with red or golden beets, or a mix of the two. This recipe was inspired by a recipe I've used for pickling beets, and was enough to move even beet-phobic apprentice Nathan to profess his love for them.
Miso-Glazed Beets
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cups peeled and thinly sliced beets
scant ¼ cup cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons balsamic/sherry vinegar
3 Tablespoons red/hacho miso paste
½ cup chopped scapes (or equivalent in scallions/shallots)
2 Tablespoons tamari/soy sauce
2 teaspoons mustard powder
1 teaspoon (or more) paprika
1 teaspoon (or more) powdered
ginger
water, as necessary
lemon juice and black pepper to taste (and red pepper flakes, for more kick)
Cook the onion in a little oil until soft. Add everything except the lemon juice and black pepper and stir to combine - make sure the miso paste dissolves in the pan juices. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until beets are tender (add water as necessary to keep liquid in the pan). Remove the lid and continue cooking until the juices reduce. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Serve hot over brown rice or Buddha bowls, or cold in a green salad.
Variation: Add chopped beet greens in the last few minutes of cooking.
Beet Salad
Beet Salad
2 bunches of beets (7-8 medium beets), scrubbed and trimmed of greens
4 shallots, or 6 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs rosemary, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
2/3 cup plain (soy) yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced dill
pepper to taste
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine beets, shallots or garlic, rosemary, olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil. Roast in the oven until the beets can be easily pierced with a fork, about one hour. Remove from oven. When beets are cool enough to handle, pull of their skins and tops, and cut into bite-sized chunks. Allow to cool completely.
When beets are cooled, combine the shallots or garlic, yoghurt, lemon juice and dill in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Mix the dressing into the cooled beets and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more dill if desired.
Variation: Lightly steam the beet greens with a bit of lemon juice and add to the beets with the dressing.
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