Mujadara: lentils and rice with crispy onions

March 10, 2020January 23, 2023 Belinda

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From “The Mediterranean Dish”
Clearly, lentils and rice do not make for a fancy meal. In fact, in the Middle East, mujadara is known more as “poor man’s food,” or peasant food.
This mujadara is very simply spiced with salt and pepper. The main flavor maker here is onions, fried to the point of dark golden brown. This is what gives the rice the beautiful depth, both in color and taste.
I use these all-natural black lentils for mujadara. These petite lentils cook fairly quickly. They have a wonderful, creamy consistency; full-bodied and earthy flavor.

Serves 4-6

1 cup black lentils, sorted and rinsed
4 cups water, vegetable sock or meat stock, divided
1/4 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil, more for later
2 large yellow onions, diced (4 cups)
1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
1 cup long-grain white rice, soaked in water for 10–15 minutes and then drained
black pepper
Parsley for garnish
For the fried crispy onion garnish
Oil for frying
1 large yellow onion cut in very thin rings

Place the lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups of the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the lentils are par-boiled (10-12 minutes). Remove from the heat, drain the lentils and set them aside.

In a large saute pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until the onions are dark golden brown, darker than typical caramelized onions (about 40 minutes), sprinkle the onions with a teaspoon of salt as they cook.

Carefully pour the remaining 2 cups of water, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir the rice and par-cooked lentils into the onion mixture. Cover and bring back to a boil. Stir in a healthy pinch of salt and the black pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice and lentils are both cooked through (about 20 minutes).

Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the Mujadara hot or at room temperature with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and parsley garnish, if you like.

For the fried onions, heat the oil over medium-high heat (to 375 degrees F) in a saucepan. When a small piece of onion bubbles vigorously, the oil is ready. Fry the onions in batches until they are golden brown. Transfer the onions to a paper towel-lined plate or try, and then arrange them on top of the Mjuadara.

A dollop of Greek yogurt is lovely to serve it with
Enjoy!

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegan

30-Minute Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Chowder

March 2, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from “Simply Quinoa”
I am really enjoying the food blog, “Simply Quinoa” as it has a lot of interesting and easy recipes, and mainly plant-based, which I lean strongly toward these days for health reasons.
This is a super creamy soup made with roasted garlic, hummus and quinoa.

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Serves 4
1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 2 hours
1 head cauliflower
1 small potato
1 garlic bulb
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup Sabra Roasted Garlic Hummus
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water (I use more broth) + more as needed
2 tsp white miso paste
2 tsp nutritional yeast optional
Salt + pepper to taste
Additional garlic if desired

Add cashews to a bowl, cover with hot water and let soak for at least 2 hours.
While cashews are soaking, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Chop cauliflower into florets, and peel and chop the potatoes. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the top off the garlic bulb so that some of the cloves are slightly exposed. Drizzle with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap bulb in tin foil and place on sheet with vegetables.
Roast for 25-30 minutes until the cauliflower is starting to brown and the potatoes are soft (they don’t have to be totally soft because we’ll be blending them later). Check the garlic after 15 minutes to make sure it isn’t burning.

Allow the veggies to cool slightly then add them to a high powered blender. Squeeze/spoon the garlic out of skin and add it to the blender as well.
Drain and rinse the cashews, adding them to the blender along with the hummus and quinoa. Pour in liquids, miso, nutritional yeast (if using) and additional salt and pepper, and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings (adding more garlic, salt, pepper, miso or other seasonings) as desired.

Serve warm topped with some of the roasted garlic garnish from the hummus, some chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Baking · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan

Plant-based quinoa, broccoli bake

March 1, 2020 Belinda

Recipe c/o Simply Quinoa

This easy recipe is high in protein, naturally gluten-free and so simple to make. The recipe can also be customized with whatever veggies you’d like!

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1 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cashew cream* (See notes at bottom)
3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup vegan cheese (optional)
Tahini dressing to drizzle (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a baking dish, combine all the ingredients except for the broccoli.
Mix them all together so the ingredients are evenly combined in the dish. Add the broccoli. Top with vegan cheese if desired.
Bake on the center rack for 40 – 50 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and it’s no longer liquidy.

Cool for 5 – 10 minutes, then scoop and serve. Drizzle with tahini or hot sauce and enjoy!

* To make cashew cream:
Add 1/2 cup raw cashews into a bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot water. Soak for at least 30 minutes. Rinse then add to a blender with 1 1/4 cups water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy!

Baking · Chocolate · Holiday Food

Easy brown butter ginger chocolate chip skillet cookie

February 29, 2020 Belinda

This is the quickest recipe you will ever find, it’s literally a dump everything in and stir, which is always a good thing on my book.
If you’ve never tried something with ginger and chocolate before, then you are missing out—the flavors go together like a dream and this case is no exception. The result is a cookie that is crispy and yet chewy in the middle, with a gingery background that is addictive. Plus, it’s a one pot wonder and who doesn’t like that?

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SERVES 8

1 cup or 2 sticks (200 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (215 g) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (90 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 oz (150 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat your oven to 375° F and grease very well an 8-inch cake pan, or just use a similarly-sized cast iron skillet.
Melt your butter in a pan that is large enough to hold the rest of the ingredients, on a very low heat, until it becomes brown and fragrant (it’ll be a very nutty aroma), stirring it occasionally, should take about 7 minutes or so.

Into that same pan, add both sugars, salt, and ground ginger and mix well with a wooden spoon. Remove the mixture from the flame and allow to cool to room temperature (otherwise your egg will cook once added!).

Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing until combined. Then add your flour, bicarbonate of soda and mix until just incorporated, then add the chopped chocolate and fold it in.

Dump the cookie dough into your prepared pan or skillet, flattening it with the spoon or your hands until even.
Bake it for around 18 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Cut it while it’s still hot, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Pasta

Easy salt and pepper pasta (Cacio e Pepe)

February 29, 2020 Belinda1 Comment

This is the easiest dinner you could possibly make. Add some crushed red pepper for a little kick and please, please, please freshly grind your pepper!

This recipe is the embodiment of five-ingredient perfection! Farm-fresh eggs, fresh pasta, and good Parmesan turned the dish into a gourmet delight. The sauce comes together so easily and yet is so unctuous, creamy, and sophisticated. Really a wonderful example of simple ingredients creating a memorable dish. And so simple to throw together.

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SERVES 2 to 4

12 oz pasta (spaghetti or bucatini)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago, as needed
1 egg yolk

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add some salt to the water (not too much, as you will use this water for your sauce).
Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions.
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.

In the same pot the pasta was boiled in, add 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Melt your butter into this and add the pepper. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and toss to coat.
Add the cheese and egg yolk and, using tongs, toss the ingredients together until combined.
If the pasta seems a little sticky, add the remaining pasta water.
If it’s a little wet, add more cheese.
Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Do-ahead · Meat · Pasta

One-pot pork shoulder ragu

February 29, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

On their blog “Dinner: A Love Story”, Andy Ward & Jenny Rosenstrach call this “Instant Dinner Party,” because you can make the ragu completely ahead, even a day or two before. Whether you serve it that day or reheat it for a party tomorrow, “It will make the house smell amazing,” Jenny said, “Which, in my opinion, counts for more than flower arrangements when having dinner guests.

Whatever ragu is left is a boon: over polenta, in tacos, on sandwiches, or frozen and awaiting more dinners.

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2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast, tied with twine if there are any loose pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small pat butter
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice
1 cup red wine
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Small handful of fennel seeds
1 tbsp hot sauce, for smokiness (Andy used Trader Joe’s Hot Chili Sauce, but Sriracha and Tabasco both work great, too)
1 pound Pappardelle pasta
1 handful Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 325° F.
Liberally salt and pepper the pork roast. Add olive oil and butter to large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high until butter melts, but does not burn. Add pork roast to pan and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes in all.

Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, wine, thyme, oregano, fennel, and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Cover, and put in oven.
Braise for 3 to 4 hours, turning every hour or so. Add more liquid (water, wine, or tomato sauce) if needed. (The liquid should come to about 1/3 of the way up the pork.)

Meat is done when it’s practically falling apart. Put on a cutting board (remove the sprigs of herbs at the same time) and pull it apart with two forks, then add back to pot and stir.

Cook 1 to 2lbs pasta according to package directions.
When it’s is ready, put into individual bowls and top with ragu and lots of Parmesan.
Alternately, toss the pasta with the ragu and a bit of pasta cooking water, as needed, and top with Parmesan.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Easy one-pot chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

February 29, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

This is a great one-pot recipe and the garlic gets so soft, sweet and squishy, you can spread it over the chicken

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SERVES 6

6 whole chicken legs
2 tsp kosher salt
40 cloves garlic (you’ll need about 3 bulbs), peeled
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
4 sprigs Italian parsley
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/3 cup (homemade or low sodium) chicken stock
Crusty bread or toast for serving

Heat the oven to 375F.
Season the chicken legs all over with the salt.
Arrange them, skin side up, in a single layer in an ovenproof baking dish with a tight-fitting lid.
Scatter the garlic and celery into the gaps between the chicken pieces, and then drizzle everything with the olive oil.
Grind some black pepper and a bit of nutmeg over the chicken and vegetables and arrange the parsley on top.
Pour in the vermouth and the chicken stock.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and put on the lid.
Bake the chicken for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, without removing the lid until the hour mark. When the chicken is really tender, and the garlic is soft enough to spread, remove the dish from the oven.
Serve the chicken in shallow bowls with plenty of the fragrant sauce; spread the softened garlic on the bread and then dunk it into the sauce as you eat your chicken.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Vegan

Baked Tofu with Coconut Kale

February 29, 2020 Belinda

Recipe from Alexandra Stafford

This fabulous meal made mainly on a sheet pan is a happy union of flavors and textures.

Serve with coconut rice, which is very simple: 1 cup each jasmine rice (rinsed), coconut milk, and water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, turn to low, cook 15 minutes, let stand 10 before fluffing with a fork and serving.

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SERVES 2 to 3

1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha
16 oz firm tofu
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
8 oz lacinato kale or other
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Coconut rice for serving, see notes above

Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oils, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes, and place them in the bowl. Gently toss the cubes to coat them in the dressing. Let sit until the oven finishes preheating.

Lightly oil a rimmed sheet pan with about a teaspoon of neutral oil. Arrange cubes of tofu on the sheet pan, leaving excess dressing in bowl.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil into the reserved dressing.
Coarsely chop the kale, discarding the tough ends. Add the kale to the bowl of dressing along with the coconut and toss to coat.
Remove the sheet pan of tofu from the oven. Gently, push the cubes with a spatula to loosen.
Nestle the kale and coconut around the tofu cubes. Return pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the kale has wilted considerably and is beginning to crisp and the coconut is golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Use a spatula to gently toss everything together.
Serve over rice.