Tag: Veggie

Eggplant Bruschetta

On By lukephillaryhIn VeggieLeave a comment
Eggplant Bruschetta Deb Perelman recipe
Explore beyond the classic bruschetta

In the summer months, when our lil’ AC window unit is bumping, Luke and I love making bruschetta. Nothing tastes better on a hot summer’s day, especially when we use farmer’s market heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. And most importantly, bruschetta requires no oven use. Which is a requirement for almost all of our summer meals. Our tiny apartment can’t handle any oven heat! Disclaimer: this bruschetta recipe does require oven use. But, it’s an excellent and simple way to use summer’s eggplant bounty. Luke and I are enjoying these eggplant toasts a little early in the season because they are so delicious. And because I’m already dreading NYC’s looming heat and humidity.

Shout out to one of our favorite ladies Deb Perelman for the original recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 TBS olive oil + additional for oiling baking sheet
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
  • 2 TBS parsley *optional
  • 8 slices of bread, 1/2-1 inch thick (a baguette works nicely, we go for a more rustic bread for slices with more surface area)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
  2. Toss eggplant with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread on baking sheet. Place in oven and roast for about 25 minutes. Check the eggplant a couple times while it roasts and give em a good shake to prevent sticking. This will also ensure even browning.
  3. Remove eggplant from the oven and let cool slightly.* In a small bowl, mix the eggplant cubes with red wine vinegar, feta, scallions, and parsley. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  4. To make toasts, raise oven temperature to 450ºF. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and place in oven. Let bake for about 5 minutes, or until just brown around the edges. We find, for this dish, it’s best to not let the toast get too toasty. Makes bruschetta eating a bit more difficult.
  5. Assemble the toasts! Spoon the eggplant bruschetta onto the toasts. You can rub the toasts with a garlic clove before piling on the eggplant if you like.

Details: Makes about 8 toasts

*Note 1: This salad is also very delicious at room temp or even cold! So you can let the eggplant cool longer if you like before mixing with the other ingredients.

Ottolenghi Inspired Sweet Potatoes

On By lukephillaryhIn Veggie1 Comment
Sweet Potatoes Ottolenghi recipe
Happiness on a plate

I’m on team sweet potato. But, I haven’t always been a sweet potato enthusiast. In fact, growing up I was a serious potato fanatic, strictly of the yukon and russet variety. Potato chips, mashed potatoes, french fries – these were some of my favorite foods. In 8th grade, for my birthday my friends gave me a cookbook with entirely potato recipes. I used to preach my love of potatoes to others, telling people that “potatoes make you happy,” though my scientific backing on this point was shaky. Alas, tastebuds change. I still salivate over salty potato chips and buttery mashed potatoes, these are eternally beloved foods. And though I often order sweet potato fries, they can never match the crunchy fried goodness of classic french fries. But, all and all, I much prefer the nuance a sweet potato adds to a meal.

This Ottolenghi recipe originally calls for butternut squash, but Luke and I substituted squash for sweet potatoes because they are delicious, abundant, and cheaper.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
  • 4-5 shallots, cut into thin slices lengthwise
  • 3-4 TBS olive oil
  • 3 TBS tahini paste
  • 1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
  • 2 TBS water
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 TBS za’atar
  • salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 475ºF.
  2. Spread sweet potato wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix with your hands so the wedges are well coated with olive oil and then arrange on the baking sheet, skin side down. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1-2 TBS olive oil. Once olive oil is warm, add the shallots. Sauté for 15-20 minutes, until caramelized, stirring often and lowering heat if necessary to avoid burning.
  4. Once sweet potatoes have finished cooking, combine with caramelized shallots. Let cool while making the sauce. Combine tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or lemon juice to thin (or more tahini to thicken) if necessary.
  5. To serve, spread the vegetables on a platter and drizzle over tahini sauce. Sprinkle with za’atar. You can also garnish with parsley and/or toasted pine nuts.

Details: Serves 4

Savory Cauliflower Cake

On By lukephillaryhIn VeggieLeave a comment
Cauliflower Cake Ottolenghi recipe
Aesthetically impressive and delicious

A photo of this recipe graces the back cover of Ottolenghi’s Plenty More. Conclusively, it must be one of the cookbook’s greatest hits. It is certainly one of the most photogenic. With its’ complementary color schema, poppin’ purple onion rings, herb freckled surface, it’s nearly modelesque. Instagram undoubtedly crosses one’s mind when admiring this cake. And, as it turns out, of the recipes in Ottolenghi’s all veggie Plenty More this cauliflower cake is a unique, flavorful, and versatile option. Looks good and tastes good too! It is spongey from the eggs, but not at all similar to a quiche or frittata. The rosemary and parmesan add a savoriness which is balanced with a little sweetness from the fresh basil. And the cauliflower creates a wonderful texture and density.

This cake can serve as the main dish of any meal. We enjoyed a slice for dinner with a green salad and some cheese. And to avoid any stressing as Ottolenghi recipes often have a difficult twist, we simplified this recipe a little bit. You can find the original on The Kitchn.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small cauliflower, leaves removed, broken in to 1 1/4 inch florets (about 4 cups)
  • 1 medium red onion, peeled
  • 5 TBS olive oil
  • 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
  • 7 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh grated parmesan
  • salt & pepper ~ to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Place cauliflower florets in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and add 1 tsp salt. Bring water to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, until florets are soft. You’ll want the florets to break when pressed with a spoon. Drain and set aside in a colander to dry.
  3. Cut about 1/3 of the red onion into thin round slices, each 1/4 inch thick and set aside. Coarsely chop the remainder of the onion and place it in a small pan with 5 TBS oil and rosemary. Cook for ten minutes over medium heat until soft, stirring to ensure onions don’t stick or burn. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  4. Once cool, transfer onion to a large bowl. Add the eggs and basil, whisk well, and then add flour, baking soda, turmeric, parm, 1 tsp salt, and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Whisk until smooth, but be mindful. This cake does not need lots of whisking. Add cauliflower, incorporating into the batter with a wooden spoon. Try not to break up florets too much, unless you have some larger guys like we did. You don’t want cauliflower popping out too much from your cake batter.
  5. Line the base and sides of a 9 1/2 inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Or, if you don’t have a springform pan, use a 9 inch round cake pan instead, lined with parchment paper. Make sure paper comes up the sides to easily remove the cake. Pour the cauliflower mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly, and arrange reserved onion rings on top. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set. A knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
  6. Remove from oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve just warm.

Details: Serves 4 to 6. Perfect for morning after leftovers.

Sweet Potato + Butternut Squash Soup with Za’atar Oil

On By lukephillaryhIn VeggieLeave a comment
sweet potato and butternut squash soup with za'atar oil
~ Gettin fancy with that za’atar oil ~

Luke and I were recently gifted two Ottolenghi cookbooks (Nopi, The Cookbook and Plenty More). Admittedly, we’re a little late to the Ottolenghi party, but we’re trying to catch up. With the master chef in mind and our two new cookbooks supplying ample inspiration, we bought a giant pack of za’atar. Giant because we couldn’t find anything smaller than a 16 oz bag at the Middle Eastern grocery store and also because we figured we’d be whipping out za’atar filled Ottolenghi recipes on the daily. As it turns out we still have some catching up to do (Ottolenghi recipes are hard!!). Sooo…this is not an Ottolenghi recipe (it’s actually adapted from Tara Parker-Pope’s on NYT) and it uses a very minimal amount of za’atar, but it is a simple and delicious soup, with just a lil’ exotic touch. The savory za’atar oil nicely balances the sweetness of the soup and the feta adds a salty zing. We recommend serving with a winter-y salad and thick crusty toasts (or, maybe za’atar flatbread?!). Makes a very comforting meal on a chilly winter night.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 TBS
  • 2 TBS za’atar
  • 2 TBS butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 leek, white part only, peeled and diced
  • 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • approx. 1/4 of a butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 cups water
  • salt + pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

  1. Za’atar oil: In a small skillet, combine 1/4 cup olive oil and za’atar. Cook over medium heat until hot and fragrant, but be careful not to burn (1-2 minutes).  Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool.  Should sit for an hour or so for flavors to infuse.
  2. In a large pot, heat butter and remaining olive oil over medium high heat. When butter has melted and is shimmery, add the onions, carrot, celery, and leek.  Lower heat a bit and cook until slightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add more oil if necessary to avoid onions sticking to the pot.  Add the sweet potato and butternut squash cubes and sauté for 1-2 minutes more. Add the water and stock and bring to a boil, then lower to simmer.  Simmer for 30 minutes or until sweet potato and squash are completely soft.
  3. Puree the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle the soup into bowls, crumble some feta on top, and drizzle on za’atar oil.

Details: Serves 6-8. A great soup to freeze and reheat later!

To print the recipe, click here: Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Soup + Za’atar Oil

 

¡Salsa Verde Chilaquiles!

On By lukephillaryhIn Hillary's Dishes1 Comment
Chilaquiles with salsa verde recipe
It’s pronounced chil-a-QUILES

Shout out to Caesar at Candela’s on the Bay in Coronado, California! Whenever I’m home in San Diego, my family visits Caesar for Sunday brunch and we all order the Salsa Verde Chilaquiles. They are the bomb! The deliciousness of chilaquiles was reaffirmed by Gilmore Girls Season 7 Episode 20.  Caesar of Luke’s Diner fixes up some chilaquiles for a breakfast special and they are wildly popular. To the Caesars around the world promoting chilaquiles: keep doing your thing. Because this dish deserves to be on every restaurant’s brunch menu!

Our version is a combination of two recipes, the first you can find on Spoon Fork Bacon and the second is a from our trusted friends at NYT Food.  Chilaquiles are very versatile! Feel free to swap green salsa for red, add some chorizo or shredded chicken, mix in the eggs rather than fry on top, eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – whatever your heart desires!

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups salsa verde (green salsa), homemade or store bought
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • salt & pepper
  • 3-5 handfuls of thick, authentic tortilla chips
  • 4-5 eggs
  • queso fresco (or feta), radishes, fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
  2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom skillet (cast iron pan!) over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute, stirring frequently, until tender (5-8 minutes).  Add a little salt, garlic, and jalapeño.  Cook for 1-2 minutes more.
  3. Add the salsa and broth and stir together. Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add tortilla chips, one handful at a time.  Allow chips to soak up the liquid before adding more.  You may need to gently press the chips into the liquid mixture.  Don’t skimp on chips! Otherwise you’ll have a soggy mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Crack eggs directly on top of mixture and then transfer to the oven.  Bake 8-10 minutes until eggs have set, but are still a bit gooey.
  5. Garnish!!

Details: Serves 4-6.

To print the recipe, click here: Chilaquiles

 

Chickpea + Spinach “Curry”

On By lukephillaryhIn Exotic2 Comments
chickpea spinach indian curry
Maybe not so authentic? But very tasty

When we first made this recipe, we felt pretty accomplished.  We made an Indian meal!  In under 45 minutes!  With *fresh* ginger and authentic spices!  But now, we supplement the meal with some legit curry and samosas from our favorite Indian takeout spot.  So this curry is not the most authentic, but it is a simple, delicious, and healthy weekday dinner meal.  And it makes excellent leftovers.

Ingredients:

  • olive oil – to coat skillet
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh minced ginger
  • 2 tsp gram masala
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • additional (optional) spices: ground toasted fennel seed (1 tsp), coriander (1 tsp)
  • shake of red pepper flakes
  • two 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1-2 tsp sugar
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)
  • generous handfuls of spinach
  • squeeze of lemon

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat, add onions and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and ginger, cooking 1-2 minutes more.
  3. Add the spices, stirring so the onions are coated.  Cook 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant.
  4. Add chickpeas.  Stir to coat with spices.
  5. Add tomatoes and sugar.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Once at a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.  If liquid is reducing too rapidly, cover.
  6. Add spinach, in batches, stirring into curry so spinach wilts.
  7. End with a squeeze of lemon and a garnish of cilantro.  Serve with rice, nan, a little yogurt if you’d like!

Details: Serves up to 4 people, or 2 with lots of leftovers (especially when you’re eating with some samosas, you’ll be very full!)

To print the recipe, click here: Chickpea + Spinach “Curry”

Roasted Cauliflower + Parsnip Soup

On By lukephillaryhIn VeggieLeave a comment
Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup
The Soup and Spread

This soup is THICK. And delicious. Beware: without the olive oil and thyme garnish, it could be mistaken for a bowl of hummus.  If you bring leftovers to the office for lunch, don’t be surprised if a coworker tries to dip a carrot.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 2 TBS minced fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • salt + pepper
  • plenty of olive oil to coat veggies
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
  2. Spread cauliflower, parsnips, shallots, and garlic on a baking sheet.  Cover with oil and spices and give a good mix to evenly coat.
  3. Roast vegetables for 30 minutes, making sure to toss veggies at least once or twice.
  4. While veggies are cooking, warm stock in a soup pot over low heat.
  5. Remove veggies from oven.  Blend in batches with stock in a blender or add veggies to soup pan and blend with a hand blender.  Make sure to blend until smooth, should take 3-5 minutes.  Add more stock if necessary to thin.
  6. If in a blender, add mix back to pot.  Add heavy cream, stir into soup, and bring back to a simmer.
  7. Serve with a garnish of olive oil and fresh thyme.

Details: Serves 4 (but we’re usually only 2)

To print the recipe, click here: Roasted Cauliflower + Parsnip Soup