Lentil Salad

Lentil Salad

This healthy salad, inspired by the tastes of the Mediterranean, is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled lamb or chicken. Use green lentils for this recipe because they hold their shape when cooked; red lentils do not.  Serves 8

Ingredients
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) green lentils
Water to cover
1 bay leaf
2 slices lemon, about 1/2-inch (1-cm thick)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Dressing
3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lemon rind
½ cup (125 mL) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh oregano, chopped

Garnish
6 oz (175 g) feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup (125 mL) black olives pitted and sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh oregano or ½ tsp (2 mL) dried
½ red pepper, finely diced
½ green pepper, finely diced
½ yellow pepper, finely diced

Directions:
In a pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in chili flakes.

Add lentils and cook, stirring, until lentils are coated with the seasoning mixture.

Add water to cover lentils, add bay leaf and lemon slices, squeezing them gently. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Season well with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess water and remove the lemon slices and bay leaf.

Mix together dressing and toss with warm lentils. Cool and then sprinkle with feta cheese, black olives, oregano and peppers. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve on platter.
Serves 8

Chopped Pan Bagnat

                                                       

Chopped Pan Bagnat

All the ingredients of the classic pan bagnat sandwich are chopped up, tossed with a sharp vinaigrette and piled high on crusty rolls. A quick condiment of mayonnaise, cooked egg yolks and basil keeps the bread from getting soggy. 

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp (1 mL) finely grated garlic
3 tbsp (15 mL) red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) sunflower oil
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sandwiches:

4 hardboiled eggs, peeled

6 tbsp (90 mL) mayonnaise

3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup (125 mL) diced red onion

2 cups (500 mL) chopped romaine hearts

2 cups (500 mL) diced seeded tomato

1 cup (250 mL) chopped radishes

3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped pitted black olives

2 jars (190 g each) Italian tuna in oil, drained

4 submarine rolls, each about 9 inches (23 cm) long

Directions:

For the vinaigrette, whisk Dijon, garlic and vinegar in a medium mixing bowl until combined. Slowly whisk in oils until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

For the sandwiches, halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in small bowl. Mash yolks with fork and stir in mayo, basil, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Chop whites and set aside.

To make filling, place onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water and let stand 5 minutes (this will help soften the raw onion flavour). Drain, pat dry with paper towel and place in a large mixing bowl with romaine, tomato, radishes, olives and reserved egg whites. Season with salt and pepper. Add enough vinaigrette to coat lightly, saving rest for another use. Gently mix. Break tuna into flakes, add to bowl and very gently mix to combine.

Split rolls lengthwise and slather both sides with mayo mixture. Divide salad mixture between rolls. Cut in half and serve.  Serves 4 to 6

Roasted Chicken and Clementines

Roasted Chicken & Clementines

Inspiration for the flavors here came from the clementine. Most of the supply comes from Morocco, and the spices here are definitely tagine-ish. The method, though, couldn’t be less exotic. Everything gets assembled in a roasting tin and blasted at high heat for a (relatively) short cook, just long enough to make some aromatic rice to go with it.

Ingredients:

Spice Mixture:

2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin

1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander

1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric

1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne

1 tsp (5 mL) paprika

1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) finely ground black pepper

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock

1/2 cup (125 mL) clementine juice

8 small shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

6 Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthwise

1 large clove garlic, finely grated

3 clementines, sliced 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick

1/2 cup (125 mL) oil-cured black olives (optional)

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).

Make spice mixture by stirring spices together in a small bowl.

Add chicken to a large bowl, sprinkle spice mixture over and toss until evenly coated; set aside.

To a large, shallow roasting tin, add chicken stock, clementine juice, shallots, dates and garlic. Give everything a stir to break up the garlic, then tuck in chicken thighs, skin side up. Evenly distribute the clementine slices, doing your best to avoid placing over chicken skin (it’s okay if some of the clementine slices overlap each other).

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken skin is crisp. Sprinkle olives over, if using, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving with basmati rice, couscous or mashed potatoes.  Serves 4

 

Navajo Tacos

Navajo Tacos

There’s always room for more when it comes to tacos. Mix to infuse taco meat with an authentic blend of peppers and signature spices before serving in warm tortillas. Top with favorite taco garnishes and hot sauce. 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained (or sometimes I used an      8 oz can of tomato sauce instead)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
Salt and pepper, to taste

For serving
Romaine or Iceberg lettuce, chopped
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Roma tomatoes, diced
Sour cream
Sliced black olives and chopped cilantro (optional)
Navajo Fry Bread

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp rapid rise or active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
1 Tbsp butter or shortening, melted
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
Navajo Taco Filling
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 2 minutes, add garlic and saute 20 seconds. Scoot mixture to the side then crumble beef into skillet.

Season with salt and pepper and cook stirring occasionally and breaking up beef when stirring, until beef has browned and cooked through. Drain fat from beef and return to skillet.

Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, kidney beans, canned diced tomatoes and green chilis then season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes (if you used the tomato sauce you can add in a few tbsp of water to thin a little if needed).

Using a slotted spoon, spoon mixture over fry bread, then top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream (and any of the other optional toppings listed). Serve immediately.

Navajo Fry Bread
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, yeast and salt. Whisk melted butter into warm milk and pour milk mixture into dry ingredients.

Stir until mixture comes together and slightly forms a ball, dough should be fairly sticky (if needed you can add in a little more flour or a little more water to reach a good consistency but try not to overwork the dough).

Cover dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest 5 – 10 minutes.
Heat 1 inch of oil in a large cast iron skillet to 350 – 360 degrees over stove top.

Divide rested dough into 8 equal pieces.

Working with floured hands and one piece of dough at a time (keep other pieces covered with plastic wrap), pat dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 6-inch circle and gently drop into hot oil, and cook until golden brown, then flip and cook opposite side until golden brown.

Remove from oil and drain onto a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels.   Enjoy !!

Cheesy Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole   

The one change made that most distinguishes these from typical tacos is our use of biscuit mix instead of tacos or tortillas. Had we used tortilla chips or actual taco shells, they would have grown soggy once all of our yummy bonus ingredients were piled on top. We found that biscuit dough was a delicious compromise, since it settles into the beef a bit, plus its sturdiness means you can pile whatever other toppings on top that you like! No need to rein it in here, go crazy and make this the taco casserole of your dreamings.

Ingredients;

2 pounds ground beef
1 packet Taco Seasoning
4 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cup Biscuit mix OR Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups chopped lettuce
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Black Olives, optional
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400º F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk together until combined, then stir in biscuit mix, and salt and pepper, if using. Set aside.

Season beef with salt and pepper, then cook until browned. Drain fat, then stir in taco seasoning.

Place beef in an even layer in greased baking dish, then spread biscuit mix in an even layer on top of beef.

Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until biscuit layer is golden brown, 22-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes, then spread sour cream on top of biscuits.

Top with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and olives, if using, then sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.       Serve hot and enjoy!   Serves 8

Taco Pie

Taco Pie

Ingredients:

2 crescent roll tubes
1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
1 or 2 diced tomatoes depending on size
1/2 small can sliced olives if desired
Sour cream optional
sliced avacado optional

Directions:
Lay out the two tubes of crescent pastry, thick sides in.
Use some of the left over crescent rolls to to make the center a bit thicker.
Brown beef and add taco seasoning.
Lay beef in a circle inside of the laid out crescent rolls
Add cheese to the top
Pull over crescent rolls and tuck in under meat and cheese.
Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream or whatever you desire for your tacos, in the middle.
Follow cook time on the pack of crescent rolls, and once it’s done, you’re good to go!
Source :pillsbury.com

Heirloom Christmas Lima Bean Stew

Heirloom Christmas Lima Bean Stew

I mentioned some time back I found Heirloom Beans and became fascinated with them.  Christmas Beans are a type of Lima Bean but instead of being clay colored the are mottled with a "Blood Mahogany" 

If you ignore everything else I write about today, pay attention to this. You can't skip out on the toppings. Please, just trust me on this one. The chopped black olives and fresh lemon wedges for squeezing are key. Collectively they add dimension, surprise bursts of flavor and nuance you don't get otherwise. And a chunk of toasted, crusty artisan bread is the perfect sidekick.

I call for Christmas Lima beans here, but alternately, you can use white cannellini or giant corona beans. I've made this soup with all of the above at one point or another. You can cook the beans a day or two ahead if you want to get a jump start.  Remember to reserve some bean cooking liquid! It's not the end of the world if you forget. But it adds nice body flavor to broth. Don't skimp out on the olive oil here, it is important for the texture and body of the broth. And the soup actually freezes well, I wasn't sure if it would...but I did a de-thaw the other night, no problem!

Ingredients:
1 pound / 450g dried Christmas Lima beans OR equivalent cooked beans ~ 2.5 pounds / 1.2 kg*

16 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large heads of celery, preferably with leaves, trimmed then sliced into 2 cm / 3/4-inch chunks

3 bunches of scallions, green parts included
OR if spring onions are in season, I use about 12 of those, either way slice into 1/3-inch / 1cm rounds

8 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
scant 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, lightly crushed
fine grain sea salt

1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, drained, rinsed, cored and roughly chopped

2 - 4 teaspoons celery salt **
5 1/2 cups water or broth -or combination)
oily black olives, seeded and roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into 1/8ths

Directions:
If you haven't already cooked the beans, do so.*

Heat 12 tablespoons / scant 2/3 cup of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, and stir until coated with olive oil. Cook for ten minutes, stirring often. Add 2/3 of the scallions, the garlic, caraway, and a couple big pinches of salt. Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes, or until everything softens and begins to caramelize a bit.

Add the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of the celery salt and cook for another few minutes.
Add the beans along with 5 1/2 cups liquid (I typically do 2 cups bean liquid/broth + 3 1/2 cups water), and remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil.

Bring to a simmer, taste, and season with more salt or celery salt if needed. Let sit for a couple minutes and serve each bowl topped with a spoonful of chopped olives and a squeeze of lemon. You might also like to serve the soup sprinkled with the remaining scallions/spring onions.

Serves 8 - 10.

Crustless Taco Pie

Crustless Taco Pie

Ingredients:

Taco seasoning

2 T. chili power
1 T. paprika
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. ground black pepper 2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste
Taco Pie: Serves 6.

1 lb. ground beef, chicken or turkey
3 T. Taco Seasoning (see above)
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided us
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1-4 oz. can diced green chilies
3 green onions, chopped
1/3 cups sliced black olives
Sour cream and Avocado slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. For Taco Seasoning, combine all ingredients in a small jar; shake well to combine. There will be more here than needed for one recipe of Taco Pie. Seasoning mixture is good for 1 month kept in a cool dry cupboard.


2. For the Taco pie, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking it up and stirring often. Add the Taco Seasoning to the almost cooked meat and stir until meat is ell cooked through. Drain any excess fat and transfer meat to a greased 9-inch-deep dish pie plate and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese; set aside.


3. Whisk eggs with cream and stir in chilies and green onions. Pour over the meat but do not mix together. Top with olives and remaining 1 cup cheese and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until set in the center. Let sand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving topped with the optional sour cream and avocado.

Tip: If using ground chicken or turkey you may want to add 1 T. oil to the skillet to help with the browning. You may also want to add 2 tsp. Better than Bouillon Beef or Chicken paste for added flavor.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Potato Salad

Ingredients
Basil Pesto:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan 
1 tsp. salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Serves 8.

*

Salad:
1 pound fusilli pasta
1 red bell pepper, roasted and cut
    into thin strips
1 (2.2 ounce) can sliced black olives,
   drained
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 to 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

*

Directions:

1. Turn on the food processor and drop in garlic cloves processing until minced. Stop machine and add the basil, parsley, pine nuts, Parmesan, and salt. Pulse to finely chop. With machine running add enough olive oil and process to make a thick paste.

*

2 .Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until it is just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss pasta with red pepper strips, olives and pine nuts.

*

3. Stir pesto into 1 cup mayonnaise and gently stir that into the pasta salad. Toss to combine well, adding more mayonnaise as needed to make a moist mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Add more mayonnaise just before serving, if necessary.