More Peas Please -- Fresh English Peas with Scallion & Mint

The arrival of Spring brings one of my favorite vegetables, fresh English peas.  Although rather elusive these days, the taste and texture of fresh peas so outshines that of canned and even frozen peas that it is totally worth the effort it might take to hunt them down.  And these peas are most delicious when prepared simply and served right away. High in protein and vitamins, these little bright-green gems are both tender and crunchy (is that an oxymoron, Mom?) making them a real pleasure to eat!

I start with 1 cup of shelled fresh English peas, 3 scallions (sliced thin at an angle), 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and several sprigs of fresh mint, sliced into very thin ribbons.

I just rinse off the peas, toss them in a pot of boiling hot water, let them boil for about 90 seconds, and then drain them well.  They will turn bright green and soften just a bit, but they will still retain their sturdy texture if not overcooked.  Mushy peas are the worst, unless you are making pea soup, of course. 

Then I saute the scallions in the olive oil until just tender (about 2-3 minutes), after which I stir in the cooked peas. 

I garnish with the mint ribbons, some Kosher salt, and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.  The result is tender and crunchy deliciousness, and the fresh mint and scallions really compliment the peas!

Ingredients/Recipe:

1 cup of shelled fresh English peas
3 scallions (sliced thin at an angle)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Several sprigs of fresh mint, sliced into very thin ribbons 
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste


Cook peas in boiling hot water for about 90 seconds, remove and drain.  In the meantime, saute the scallions in the olive oil until just tender (about 2-3 minutes), and then stir in the cooked peas.  Next, place cooked peas and scallions into a serving dish, garnish with the mint ribbons, and season with Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Serve warm. 

 I recommend making this right before you are ready to serve as the cooking time takes just a few minutes.

Whole Black Beans - Frijoles Negros

One of the best things to arise out of my little food blog is that my dad has starting taking pictures of the food he makes and sending the photos to me!  It totally cracks me up -- a little gesture with a bit of culinary competition thrown in that completely makes my day!  The pictures almost always feature eggs and meat -- so clearly we have different tastes -- and more often than not they are upside down.  But that's ok.  I enjoy them immensely!  Daddy, while you enjoy your breakfast of eggs, hash browns, and bacon, which I'm sure is absolutely delicious, I'm having beans!

Canned beans are convenient and pretty darn good, but when time permits, there is nothing like the real deal. This delicious and easy-to-make whole black bean or Frijoles Negros side dish is a great accompaniment to any Mexican meal.  I love these beans folded into a taco or burrito with rice and salsa, piled onto a yummy tostada, served as a side dish alongside tacos, tamales, or enchiladas, or served simply as a dip with good chips, salsa, and guacamole.  An essential part of any healthy vegan diet, black beans are nutritious, delicious and versatile! 

I start off with 1 cup of black beans, which I sort, rinse, and "quick soak" (as opposed to "overnight soak"). The quick soak method is ideal when you you do not have time for an overnight ordeal.  I simply sort and rinse the beans, cover them with hot water (4 cups of water per every 1 cup of beans), bring the water to a rapid boil and boil for 2 minutes, and then remove them from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.

In the meantime, I assemble the other ingredients.  For 1 cup of beans, which makes about four servings, I prepare a diced juicy tomato,1/3 white onion sliced thin, 2 cloves of fresh garlic sliced thin, 1 Poblano pepper, seeded and sliced down the middle, a teaspoon of olive oil, and Kosher salt to taste.

Once the quick soak is complete, I rinse and drain the beans, combine them with the remaining ingredients, along with 3 cups of hot water, and cover the pot and set it over a high heat until it comes to a boil.  Then I reduce the heat and simmer the beans until they are tender, which can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. As the beans cook (largely unattended) I stir them every so often and add a bit more hot water if needed.

Once the beans reach the desired tenderness, I season them with a bit more salt (if needed), a few grinds of black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin.  Then I take a wooden spoon and break up any large chunks of tomato pepper pepper.  Finally, with the back of the spoon, I press down on the beans, mashing them until they reach a consistency that is somewhere in between whole beans and refried beans (which is just how I like them). 

 

One of my favorite breakfast treats is a fresh tortilla cooked on the stove top until it puffs up and chars a bit, topped with homemade Frijoles Negros, and garnished with fresh cilantro.  Delicioso!

Ingredients/Recipe:

1 cup black beans, sorted, rinsed, and either soaked overnight or prepared using the "quick soak" method described above.

1 tomato, diced
1/3 white onion, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1 Poblano pepper, seeded and sliced in half longways
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
3 cups hot water

After preparing the beans by soaking overnight or using the "quick soak" method, strain rinse, and place in a heavy pot. Add tomato, onion, garlic, Poblano pepper, olive oil, and salt.  Cover with 3 cups of hot water, bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer on a low heat until the beans are tender (anywhere from 2-3 hours).

Once the beans reach the desired tenderness, season them with a bit more salt (if needed), a few grinds of black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin.

With a wooden spoon, break up any large chunks of tomato or pepper, and using the back of the spoon, press down on the beans mash until  the consistency is right in between whole beans and refried beans.

Enjoy!

Vegan Red Lentil (& Bulgur) Balls - Mercimek "Köftesi"

Mercimek Köftesi are these delicious, nutritious, and very satisfying vegan bitesmade of red lentils, bulgur, onions, and lots of herbs and spices.  They are full of flavor, loaded with protein, and really quite substantial.  I often make a batch and take several to work with me for lunch, and most recently I brought a platter to book club to share with the amazing group of women that I read and socialize with every month.

First, I measure out 1 cup of red lentils and 1 cup of very fine bulgur (also known as "Bulgur No. 1").  Both items are commonly available in supermarkets that carry a variety of ethnic foods, and any Middle Eastern market should definitely have them in stock.  Bulgur No. 1 is distinguishable from its coarser bulgur brethren (that is, Bulgur Nos. 2, 3, and even 4) in that it is so fine that it can be used in recipes where the bulgur is not actually cooked, such as in Tabbouleh.  Here, Bulgur No. 1 is essential and can not be replaced with another grade.

I start by rinsing the red lentils really well. 

 

Then I cook the lentils in 2 cups of boiling hot water, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until completely tender.  Some water should remain in the pot after cooking.  Next, I turn off the heat and add 1 cup of fine bulgur to the lentils, stir, cover the pot, and let the ingredients rest together for about an hour until the mixture cools off and all the water has been absorbed.  In the meantime, I finely dice and saute 1 white onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes tender.  Then I add a teaspoon of paprika to the onion, saute for another minute, and set it aside.

During this waiting period I also measure out the dry ingredients --1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of red pepper (depending on the level of heat you want) -- and I coarsely chop up 4-5 scallions and finely chop up a handful of fresh mint and a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (about 1/3 cup each).

After the hour has passed, I spoon the well-rested lentil/bulgur mixture into a large bowl, and check to make sure it is moist. (It should be about the consistency of cookie dough.)  If it is too dry, I add a bit of hot water and some olive oil until a dough-like consistency is reached.  Then I stir in the sauteed onions along with 1 tablespoon of good tomato paste.

Next, I fold in the herbs and spices, followed by juice from half a lemon and some salt and black pepper.  Now it is time to taste the mixture and adjust the spices by adding more salt, lemon, cumin, or red pepper to taste.

Once the flavor is perfect, I form about 20-25 oval or round bite-sized balls, like so, and arrange them on a serving plate.  They should be served at room temperature with fresh lemon and a side of small lettuce leaves.  And if you would like to make them in advance, simply cover and store them in the refrigerator, and bring them to room temperature before serving. They are delicious on their own, with a squeeze of lemon...

... or wrapped in a lettuce leaf for a bit of crunch.

A Beautiful Bowl...of Chana Masala

I stared for a long time at this beautiful bowl that my friend Francesco lovingly made by hand, trying to figure out what dish would most appropriately fulfill its destiny.  One thing was certain -- this bowl most definitely longed to be filled with something spicy, and HOT.

My head immediately went to India.  Francesco has traveled extensively there, and Indian food, while not really part of my culinary repertoire, has long been among my favorite cuisines (thanks to the Samtani family!).  Moreover, Indian cuisine includes many exciting, healthy, and flavorful vegan dishes, making it an especially appealing VB6 option.  Plus I was in luck because my "peachy" friend Sheila had recently given me her top secret Indian curry recipe as a birthday gift, and along with it, an amazing array of Indian spices. And while Sheila's curry recipe -- which is phenomenal, by the way! -- definitely goes with me to the grave, I decided the spices were fair game, as they included just what I needed to make a fabulously spicy and delicious Chana Masala.

* * *

To make Chana Masala, first I measure out and prepare the spices, as there are many!  They include 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon of Indian chilli powder (you can substitute cayenne pepper).  These four ingredients can be combined as they are added into the dish at the same time.  To the extent I have the whole spices on hand (in this case whole coriander and cumin), I like to grind them fresh, for a deeper flavor, but of course pre-ground spices are certainly fine.  

Separately I measure out 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, which I toast in a hot dry frying pan for several minutes, shaking constantly so that they don't burn.  

Finally, I measure out and combine 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala, and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, as these three ingredients will also be added to the dish at the same time.  I also gather the remaining ingredients -- a 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans, 1 white onion, 1 Roma tomato, 1 Serrano pepper, a chunk of fresh ginger, 1 clove of fresh garlic, and half a lemon.

I start by chopping the onion and sautéing it in 2 teaspoons of light olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until it is tender, and then I add in the first round of spices (the ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, and chilli powder), and I cook everything together for a minute or so.

Next I chop up the Roma tomato, sprinkle it with just a bit of sea salt (to enhance the flavor of the tomato), and stir it in with the onions and spices.

Then I rinse, drain, and add in the garbanzo beans, along with 1/2 cup of water.

I let that cook on a low simmer for a few minutes, and then I stir in about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice along with the toasted cumin seeds and the remaining spices (the paprika, garam masala, and sea salt), cover the pot, and let everything simmer together for about 5 minutes.  

While that's cooking, I remove the seeds and chop up the Serrano pepper into tiny pieces, and I grate about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger, toss both into the pot, and let everything simmer on a very low heat while the flavors marry -- about another 30 minutes or so.

I serve the Chana Masala with a side of basmati rice, and for Francesco I include a spicy Serrano pepper to chomp on -- just divine!

બોન એપેટીટ

Garbanzo Beans with Padron Peppers and Heirloom Tomatoes

This easy to prepare dish is completely vegan and out of this world.  What really elevates this version are the  garbanzo beans that I picked up from the sprout man at the Santa Monica farmers market, but you can certainly substitute dried beans that have been pre-soaked and cooked, according to package directions, or even canned garbanzos, and get delicious results.

I start off by removing only the hard stems from 10-15 Padron peppers, leaving the pods intact.  Next I drizzle them with just a bit of olive oil and sea salt, toss them around, and place them in a hot frying pan and let them sizzle until they are blistered and just tender (about 5 minutes).  Now I recommend popping one in your mouth (because they are so good!) and reserving the rest for the dish.

Next, I peel and slice three beautiful heirloom tomatoes and one white onion, like so.  Always salt the tomatoes after slicing to enhance their flavor.

I heat up about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven.  (As you may have noticed, I am not terribly precise when it comes to measurements, as my recipes generally do not require precision.)  I saute the sliced onions in the olive oil for a few minutes until they are a bit tender, and then I add the tomatoes and let them cook together over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  Then I add the blistered Padron peppers (whole), and just a tiny amount of tomato paste.  (Note the Padron peppers are so good, but they are not necessarily easy to track down, so of course feel free to substitute any peppers at all, such as Poblanos, Anaheims, or even bell peppers.  If you do substitute, just slice them up into long strips and saute them right along with the onions.)

I actually started adding whole peppers, or long strips of sliced pepper, to stews and chili when my boys were very young.  That way I could get my pepper fix while still having the ability to easily fish them out of the boys' bowls.  I soon developed a real preference for the larger more flavorful bites, and I've continued to cook that way -- long since my boys' palates have matured. 

Finally, I add the Garbanzo beans and seasonings, which include 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic sliced very thin (or a few dashes of garlic powder), 1 teaspoon of freshly ground cumin seeds (it's fine to substitute cumin powder), a bit of spicy red pepper to taste, and salt and black pepper to taste.

I cover the mixture with enough water to just cover the beans, bring everything to a boil, and simmer for at least an hour so that the beans are tender and the water reduces.  Then I taste and adjust the spices as needed and let everything continue to cook, if necessary, until the desired tenderness is reached.

Delicious on its own, in a big soup bowl with a hearty piece of bread for dipping, or served with brown rice, white rice, or rice pilaf and a simple salad (as depicted above), this combination of garbanzo beans, Padron peppers, and heirloom tomatoes is classic vegan, packed with protein and all kinds of other good stuff, and bursting with deliciousness!