Kale & White Bean Stew

Packed with nutrition from Kale and protein packed cannelloni beans. I often add in roasted tempeh or for meat eaters, lamb sausage.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
2 shallots or 2 cloves garlic, chopped

4, 15oz cans vegetable broth ( about 8 cups)
1 cup water
2 , 15 oz can cannelloni beans
dried parsley, thyme  & oregano ro rosemary (optional)
sestet & pepper
2 bunches kale, stems out and chopped large

12 one sausage or roasted/bbq tempeh (optional)

Step 1
Heat oil in a large pot. Add tempeh or sausage if using. Fry up and remove.

Step 2
Add carrots, onions, shallots, celery.
Saute 3 min.
Add garlic if using- 1 min

Stir in veg or chicken broth, water, herbs & season with seawall t& pepper.
Bring to a simmer for 15 min. Add back in sausage or tempeh if using.
Add cannelloni beans. Stir. add more broth if it is too thick for you.
Add in chopped kale. Cover Let simmer until kale is texture you like, I like it chewy).
Serve as is.

Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Ragout

Ingredients:

6 large carrots, peeled & cut lengthwise
10 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional0
1 cup red lentils
5 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

1. Lay carrots in a roasting pan and toss with 5 Tablespoons olive oil. 

Season with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt. 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the carrots, add the onion & drizzle rest of Olive oil on them. 

Roast 15 minutes, until the carrots are brown and tender. 

When the carrots are cool enough cut them in to 1/4 inch dice. Dice onion as well.

2. Warm a sauce pan. 

Add the carrot and onion mixture, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the lentils. Add the chicken stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until lentil are falling apart. Season to taste.

3. Serve with rice, or as a thick soup.

If I want to pump up the veggie content, I add in some sweet potato. parsnip, celery....

Baked Cabbage Steaks

OMGosh. These are Ah-mazing.  I was skeptical, but I do love roasted broccoli & cauliflower.  Gave these a try ash Whoa.. the wheel family loved them... roast on!

Pre-heat oven to 400F/200c

Wash & remove outer leaves of the round cabbage. Trim stem.
Cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch (2-3cm) slices
Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, seasalt & pepper.
Bake 30 -4 0 minutes.  

I like mine with the edges a bit crunchy so I go for 40 minutes.
Enjoy!  You won't need much more on your plate!

Vegetarian Chili with Smoked tofu

I love this dish, because, as with many bean dishes I can either put it in the slow cooker, or in a Dutch oven and in the oven fat a low temperature, for the afternoon , and have it ready when we get home from sports!

2 TBL vegetable oil (I use coconut oil)

2 onions, chopped fine

1 red bell pepper , Chopped in medium sized pieces

   (I don’t use this as I do not like peppers I substitute by adding 1 tsp of paprika)

Seasalt and pepper

3 tBL / soup spoonsTamari or soy sauce to taste

4 garlic cloves minced OR 3 shallots

250gr button mushrooms, chopped fine

1 Tbl/ soup spoon chili powder (or to preference of hotness)

2 Tsp / coffee spoon cumin

1 tsp/ coffee spoon coriander

1 tsp/ coffee spoon paprika

2 cans (400 gr each) pinto beans (berlotti beans) or red kidney beans

2 cans (400gr each) of whole peeled tomatoes,

   drained, coarsely chopped

1 jar (15 ounces) tomato puree

12 ounces / 400gr smoked tofu cut in small pieces

1 cup/ 250 gr pumpkin puree (optional- takes the edge off the acidity)

1 cup / 250ml vegetable broth

1 zucchini cut into medium small sized pieces

1 yellow squash (or another zucchini) cut into medium small sized pieces

Heat oil in Dutch oven  over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add onions, red bell pepper (if using), mushrooms and shallots (if using) 1 tsp seasalt and cook until vegetables are softened, lightly browned and some of the mushroom’s water has evaporated out.

OR put all into Thermomix, chop coarsely. Set at 90 C for 10 minutes. Speed 2-3- so it moves.

Add garlic (if using) and spices and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. If using Thermomix, add the same. 5 min. 90 C, Stir at speed 2-3 so it moves.

If you used the Thermomix, place all at the bottom of a Dutch oven or a Slow Cooker.  If you chopped and pan fried by hand, leave it in the Dutch oven!

Layer the rest of the ingredients---

Carrots

Beans with some of their liquid

Smoked tofu

Pumpkin Puree (if using- you won’t taste it)

Zucchini & yellow squash

Drained tomatoes

Vegetable broth

Cook in Dutch oven, without lid, until the veg are cooked and the sauce has thickened.  In Slow Cooker, place on HIGH for 5 hours +

Serve over whole basmati rice or creamy millet or with corn pasta, a but of feta cheese and some slices of avocado on top…

Anchoiade (aperitif)

By Gael Verger

Ingredients for 8 people

20 anchovies, packed in salt  (not  the anchovies in olive oil)

2 big garlic cloves, pressed

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

6 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

clean/rinse the anchovies well (take of all the salt), drain them

remove the bones from the center

use a small robot mixer, put in the anchovies, pressed garlic cloves, fresh thyme (just their small leaves) and olive oil (add water if too compact)

mix few times

Serve with cut raw veggies or oat crackers... 

Stir Fried Kale!

A meal of wild salmon and stir fried kale has to be one of my all time favorites. Cooking that meal always reminds of golden days in Golden, CO cooking with my brother Jeff.

Since I moved to France, kale has been pretty hard to come by. I found some for the second time in 3 years, of course the local organic farmer's market. Even they didn't have a name for it! Inspired, I will offer you my favorite cooking method.

Ingredients:
As much kale as you can stuff into a paper veggie bag! It cooks down.
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
fresh ginger root
french tumeric (cucurma) root
garlic (optional)
1 medium onion. chopped small (optional)
water

De-stalk kale. I turn the laves over one at at time, and from the back side, cut down both sides of the stalk. You can do this step the night, morning or afternoon before to save time during that high demand dinner hour.

Heat a large frying pan, with high sides if possible, over medium high heat. Add 2-3 Tbl of sesame oil. Right into the sesame oil, add onion if using. Then grate a 1 inch (4cm) piece of ginger root, or more if you love it, and around the half that amount of the tumeric/cucurma root, as much garlic as you like, if using (I don't). Let simmer of a few minutes until it just starts to turn color.

Add all the kale, pack it into the pan. Let it fry a little and try to turn the pieces around moving bottom to top, etc. This can be a messy step. Don't be too picky about it. Add about 1/4 cup of water. Cover for 4-5 minutes. Check now and then, and stir. You will see that the kale starts to change color and gets really bright green.

Add 3-4Tbl of soy sauce. Less if you have a serving for 1. Let simmer, cover off, stirring for a few minutes. Taste. Add more soy sauce of necessary.

Serve as a bed for salmon, cod....
Even my kids loved it ... Well OK, one of them did...

Onion, Mushroon and Feta Tarte Tatin

Basically this is a main course dinner version of the French upside down apple pie.
It can be vegan based on the kind of cheese you use, or if you use any at all. It can be "cheesed-up" is you use Stilton or a strong blue cheese.

As I retired vegetarian, I loved this dinner. My family... well, I recommend you serve it to older children with more varied tastes! I think I will keep it a a starter or for lunch with my girlfriends!

Onion, Mushroom, Fennel and Feta Tarte Tatin

1 puff pastry, defrosted and rolled out if necessary or made of GF recipe or use spelt
3 onions
2 large fennel
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups/12oz/200gr chestnut mushrooms
4 Tbsp/50gr roasted pine nuts
1 cup/250gr broken up feta or blue cheese
1/2cup/125gr ricotta cheese (optional)
sea salt &     pepper

Pre-heat oven to 180C/375F.
Line a large quiche pan with baking paper.

Slice onions into 6 wedges.
Take branches off fennel and slice of bit of the bottom. The slice into 6 wedges, like the onions.

Place olive oil in a large frying pan, saute onions and fennel, until onions are softened and lightly colored. About 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, break up your cheese into to smallish chunks. If using the ricotta, mix it with the chunks.

Add the mushrooms and salt. Saute for 5 more minutes, stirring now and then. Taste to adjust salt & pepper. Pour into the prepared quiche pan. press to flatten a bit. Spoon cheese over onion mixture. Cover with pastry, tucking edges inside/under.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until pastry in golden. I checked mine around 25 minutes and had to cover the pastry with a piece of foil as it was already golden brown.
let sit for 5 minutes before you turn it upside down on a large plate/platter.

Serve with a green salad....

Moroccon Veg Stew

Serve with couscous.
Freezable.
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

MOROCCON VEGETABLE STEW

2 Tbl olive oil
2 med-lg red onions
4 lg carrots cut in 1 inch/5cm pieces
2 large potatoes cut in 1nch/5cm pieces
1 small butternut or "potimarron" pumpkin squash cut in pieces
1 small eggplant/aubergine, cut in pieces
1 med courgette/zucchini, cut in pieces

4 Tbl ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp ground coriander or cardamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground anise (optional)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Salt & Pepper

3 cups veg or chicken broth (low/no salt)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chick peas, rinsed well


In a large Dutch oven (Cocotte) or heavy-bottom pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Saute onions until soft. Stirring occasionally. 5 minutes or so.

Add spices and cook until you can smell them, about 1 min.
Add carrots, potatoes and pumpkin/squash, salt & pepper. Stirring until the begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and tomatoes until veg are just covered. Taste and season with salt & pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer & cook, uncovered for 20 min.

Add eggplant/aubergine and courgette/zucchini. Stir to combine. Cook about 20 min until tender.
Stir in chickpeas, taste & seasona gain with salt & pepper if needed. Cook until chickpeas are warmed through, about 5 min.

Serve with couscous or rice. Top with freshily chopped coriander if desired.

2 more things money can't buy...
true love and........
home grown tomatoes...

Summer Tomato Pie

Don't you just wait for the taste of a sun-filled, grown-in-the-dirt, summer tomato. We eat so many raw, I am always looking for another way to use them.
Here is an English (as in the country) adapted classic French recipe I adapted again!
Great as a starter or a meal with a huge summer salad tossed with freshly made, mustardy vinaigrette...

Summer Tomato Pie

One pre made pastry shell, or you can make your favorite recipe.

3Tbl (soupspoons) sour cream or creme fraiche
2Tbl (soupspoons) Dion mustard (yes, it is different)
10-12 large tomatoes, cored, peeled and sliced
sea salt
ground black pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
olive oil to drizzle on top

Pre-heat oven to 375F/190C.

Line with baking paper a 12inch/30 cm push-up-bottom tart pan. Or use a quiche pan. Place rolled out pastry in pan.

Mix together creme fraiche/sourcream with Dijon mustard. Spread over pastry base.
Arrange in a fold-out-card fashion the tomato slices around the pan to fill. I usually start at the outside edge and work my way INTO the center in a circular fashion.
Season with seasalt and pepper.
Strip thyme leaves off stalks. Scatter leaves on top.

Bake for 40 minutes.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Serve warm or cold. But don't leave overnight or the pastry will get soggy!

Ratatouille

A french spring & summer favorite full of zucchini/courgette, eggplant/aubergine, onions and tomatoes...

1 large eggplant/aubergine, chopped large
4 large zucchini or 8 small ones (I prefer the small ones), chopped large
2 onions, chopped large
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 pound/1.5kg tomatoes, chopped large
1 bunch fresh parsely,and/or basil, leaves and sprigs
olive oil
salt and pepper


Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat. Fry chopped onions until they begin to get translucent. Stirring, add minced garlic.
Layer on top of this all the chopped eggplant/aubergine, parsley/basil & salt then zucchini/courgette, more parsley/basil (whole) & salt, then tomatoes.
Move to a small burner on LOW heat.
Let simmer slowly until liquidy and all vegetables are soft, about 1-2 hours. This can simmer for hours and hours. Some say, the longer the better. If it simmers for a very long time it will oxidize and get a brownish color. This is more than OK, it is sought after... although we can never wait that long to eat!

When ready to eat, stir well, take out sprigs of parsley and/or basil.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Serve warm. It is great with rice or lentils or meat, and Red Cabbage Salad!

Mashed "Potatoe" Puree

As I have said before, veg with every meal. Unfortunately for you potato lovers, they don't actually count as a vegetable. Potatoes are really in the carb group, along with rice, bread and pasta. So here is my feel good, taste good solution for Mashed 'Potatoes".
The trick is to use a staff/had mixer. It breaks down the gluten in the potatoes and makes it smooth, smooth, smooth....

1 tsp seasalt
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in large pieces
1/2 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in large pieces
1/4 medium celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut in large pieces
1/2cup +/- greek yogurt or ricotta cheese or soft goat cheese
2 TbL butter or milk or soy milk

Boil all vegetables & potatoes in water with seasalt.
Drain.
Add butter or ricotta or other cheeses in pot on top and cover to let it melt a bit.
When ready to puree, add a TBL milk or soy milk. Using stick mixer (immersion mixer) blend until smooth (this is the secret to restaurant mashed potatoes, blending like this breaks down the starches that hand mashing does not.)
Season with salt & pepper to taste.

If you really want to "sell it" sprinkle with grated Emmental cheese, cover to let it melt. Make sure you show it to the diners before you serve!