Taste of Fall

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4
(Recipe from www.foodtv.com)

1 T canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (2 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 T plus 2 tsps. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
2 T honey
4 tsps. plain low-fat yogurt, for garnish

Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart stockpot. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft but not brown, about 6 or 7 minutes. Add the butternut squash, broth, curry powder and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in honey and puree in an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.

Ladle into serving bowls and add a dollop of yogurt.

Enjoy!

Hot and Spicy Eggplant

Sorry, no picture on this one! It was good though!

Hot and Spicy Eggplant (adapted from the Vegetarian Times (my new best friend))
Serve 4

4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 T minced fresh ginger
2 T soy sauce
1 T dark sesame oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. hot chili oil, or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
6 Japanese or Chinese eggplants, cut crosswise in thirds then quartered lengthwise (I used regular eggplant – it’s all I had)
2 medium scallions (white and light green parts), chopped

Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine garlic and ginger; whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, both vinegars, chili oil and sugar. Set aside.

In a large saucepan fitted with steamer basket, bring 2 inches of water to a boil over high heat. Add eggplant, cover and steam until tender, 4 to 6 minutes

Add eggplants to bowl with sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Enjoy!

Happy Ramadan!!!

It’s RAMADAN!!! Yes, the holy month for all Muslims, like me, is finally upon us. How does Ramadan affect a typical Muslim’s eating habits? It’s good you asked, since it affects our eating habits in a big way. Basically, it means…no food…from sunrise until sunset. NOTHING! No small meals, no water, NOTHING! The religious and philosophical reasons behind the fasting are written about extensively on the internet. But the purpose of this blog is not to espouse religious beliefs, it’s about food.

So, because of the fasting, you may think that food, or the preparation of it at least, is not a big part of Ramadan. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. The preparation and serving of food is an integral part of this festive month. And it’s highlighted in a fantastic way by Huma Siddiqui in this article: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/ramadan/pakistan_siddiqui

So, please everyone, if you know a Muslim – either work with one or are friends with one – don’t tempt them with chocolate covered cherries or strong coffee in the early morning, it’s just cruel. Instead, try and get an invitation to their home for a “breaking the fast” meal, because honestly, it’s a meal that you wouldn’t want to miss.

Simple Broccolini

What is broccolini? Well, Wikipedia defines it as “a green vegetable resembling broccoli. Although often mistakenly identified as young broccoli, it is actually a natural hybrid of the cabbage family Brassica oleracea, a cross between broccoli and Chinese Kale. It was developed by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. It is generally agreed that broccolini has a sweeter flavor than broccoli." I define it as a delicious, healthy, and beautifully green vegetable. You can find it at Trader Joes or Whole Foods.

A few weeks ago I had dinner at my friend Kim’s house. She and her husband are fabulous cooks and they made some awesome food for me. One of the dishes was broccolini sautéed with garlic and cherry tomatoes. A simple dish, but a lovely one.

Here’s how it goes.

Sauteed Broccolini
Serve 2

½ lb broccolini
2 T olive oil
½ lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
2 T garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut a half-inch off the stems of the broccolini. Place a large pot of salted water to boil. Once the water begins to boil, add the broccolini for a minute and remove. Drop the broccolini in some ice water to stop the cooking process.

In a medium-size sautee pan, heat the oil and garlic. Once the garlic starts to sizzle, add the broccolini and tomatoes. Saute for 7-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Masala Aloo

So, a little while back, actually many months back, I made a dish called Bombay Potatoes. They were good, not great, but good. I love potatoes, so I'll really eat any edible potato dish. Tonight, I tried a new Indian-style potato dish from the Vegetarian Times. Yes, I read the Vegetarian Times. It has great recipes and some interesting veggie information, obviously. (They should pay me for this endorsement). Anyways, I tried the dish, and guess what? I loved it! So good!!! (Um, definitely deserve pay for this ringing endorsement of a recipe).



Masala Aloo (also called Potatoes Masala)
Serves 4

16 small new potatoes, halved
2 T tomato puree (I used tomato paste)
2 T ketchup
1 T tamarind paste
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cayenne
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T vegetable oil
1 T chopped cilantro

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender when tested with a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup water, tomato puree, ketchup, tamarind paste, sugar, ginger, coriander, garlic, cayenne, lemon juice, and salt to taste.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Add potatoes, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Crazy Chicken Curry!

Chicken Curry with Potatoes
Serves 4

2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
3 T vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 T coriander seed
1 or 2 serrano chilies
1/2 cup water
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric
2 T chopped cilantro

Heat 1-inch salted water in a 10 to 12 inch skilled to bioling. Add potatoes; cover and heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until just tender. Drain; set aside.

Heat 1 T oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir-fry 30 to 60 secords or until golden brown. Stir in coconut milk, coriander sees and chilies. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Place coconut mixture and water in blender. Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth. Set aside.

Heat remaining 2 T oil in same skillet. Cook chicken in oil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is golden brown. Stir potatoes, coconut mixture and remaining ingredients except cilantro into chicken; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

Summertime Orzo

Sorry I have been out of touch for so long. I have been traveling a bit. Actually, I just got back from the Grand Canyon and Sedona not too long ago. It was amazing. Here are some pics:




Ok, now on to food. Obviously, since I’ve been traveling, I haven’t had a whole lot of time to cook. But now that I’m back, let’s get back to the good stuff.

I’m a big fan of orzo (rice shaped pasta), and it’s particularly good in the summer time because you can add all sorts of fun veggies to the mix. Tonight, I added cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and some feta cheese. YUMMY! It was soooo good. I highly recommend this one.

Summertime Orzo
Serves 4 (as a main dish)



1 cup dried orzo
2 medium sized zucchinis – sliced about a half-inch thick
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
½ tsp minced garlic
1 T olive oil
1 ½ T red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried parsley or ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to package directions. Brush zucchini with 1 tsp. olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Place zucchini under the broiler (or on a hot grill) for 5-7 minutes, just until soft. Remove zucchini from broiler and set aside.

In a small bowl, add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk away. Add tomatoes, feta, and zucchini, and mix gently to coat.

Once the orzo is done, place it in a large bowl, add tomato-dressing mixture. Mix well. That’s it! Enjoy!