Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1/3 c. tahini paste
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp. parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper
3 mini cucumbers (6 to 7 oz.)
3/4 c. cherry tomatoes
seeds from 1/2 large pomegranate
a little olive oil to finish
Directions
First, burn the eggplant. To cook the eggplants on a gas stovetop, which is the most effective way, start by lining the area around the burners with foil to protect them. Put the eggplants directly on two moderate flames and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently with metal tongs, until the flesh is soft and smoky and the skin is burnt all over. Keep an eye on them the whole time so they don't catch fire. For an oven, pierce the eggplants with a sharp knife in a few places. Put them on a foil-lined tray and place directly under a hot broiler for 1 hour, turning them a few times. The eggplants need to deflate completely and their skin should burn and break.
When cool enough to handle scoop out the flesh into a colander, avoiding the blackened skin. Leave to drain for at least 30 minutes.
Chop the eggplant flesh roughly and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the tahini, water, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and some salt and pepper; mix well with a whisk. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more garlic, lemon juice or molasses if needed. You want the salad to have a robust sour, slightly sweet flavor.
Cut the cucumbers lengthways in half and then each half lengthways in two. Cut each quarter into 3/8-inch-long pieces. Halve the tomatoes. Stir them and the cucumber into the eggplant mix.
To serve, spread over a shallow dish, scatter the pomegranate seeds on top and drizzle with oil.
Serves 2 to 4.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Cucumber Salad with Smashed Garlic & Ginger
Ingredients
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
4 small or 8 mini cucumbers (1 1/4 lbs.), peeled
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
For the dressing:
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. sunflower oil
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Directions
To make the dressing, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the sliced red onion, mix well and leave aside to marinate for about an hour.
Place the ginger and salt in a mortar and pound well with a pestle. Add the garlic and continue pounding until it is also well crushed and broken into pieces (stop pounding before it disintegrates into a paste). Use a spatula to scrape the contents of the mortar into the bowl with the onion and dressing. Stir together.
Cut the cucumbers lengthways in half, then cut each half on an angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add the cucumber to the bowl, followed by the sesame seeds and cilantro. Stir well and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
Before serving, stir the salad again, tip out some of the liquid that has accumulated at the bottom of the bowl and adjust the seasoning.
Serves 4 to 6 as a condiment or side dish.
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
4 small or 8 mini cucumbers (1 1/4 lbs.), peeled
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
For the dressing:
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. sunflower oil
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Directions
To make the dressing, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the sliced red onion, mix well and leave aside to marinate for about an hour.
Place the ginger and salt in a mortar and pound well with a pestle. Add the garlic and continue pounding until it is also well crushed and broken into pieces (stop pounding before it disintegrates into a paste). Use a spatula to scrape the contents of the mortar into the bowl with the onion and dressing. Stir together.
Cut the cucumbers lengthways in half, then cut each half on an angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add the cucumber to the bowl, followed by the sesame seeds and cilantro. Stir well and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
Before serving, stir the salad again, tip out some of the liquid that has accumulated at the bottom of the bowl and adjust the seasoning.
Serves 4 to 6 as a condiment or side dish.
Soba Noodles with Eggplant & Mango
Ingredients
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, finely chopped
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 1 small lime
1/2 c. sunflower or avocado oil
1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 7 oz. soba noodles (or your favorite Asian noodles)
1 large ripe mango, cut into 3/8-inch dice or 1/4-inch thick strips
3/4 c. basil leaves, chopped (if you find Thai basil, use less of it)
3/4 c. cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Directions
In a small saucepan, gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.
Heat only enough oil to coat a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant. Once golden brown, remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain. Next, shallow-fry the tofu in a similar method, and move to paper towels to drain oil.
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rinse well. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible.
In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.
Serves 3 as a main course.
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, finely chopped
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 1 small lime
1/2 c. sunflower or avocado oil
1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 7 oz. soba noodles (or your favorite Asian noodles)
1 large ripe mango, cut into 3/8-inch dice or 1/4-inch thick strips
3/4 c. basil leaves, chopped (if you find Thai basil, use less of it)
3/4 c. cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Directions
In a small saucepan, gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.
Heat only enough oil to coat a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant. Once golden brown, remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain. Next, shallow-fry the tofu in a similar method, and move to paper towels to drain oil.
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rinse well. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible.
In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.
Serves 3 as a main course.
1 serving = 615 calories
Roasted Cauliflower & Garlic Soup
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 head of garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne, to taste
4 c. vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 head of garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne, to taste
4 c. vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
8 oz. silken tofu (optional)
chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top of the head of the garlic, revealing a small portion of each clove. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Toss the cauliflower in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the cauliflower and garlic for 30 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and celery. Cook for a few minutes. Add paprika, cayenne and salt.
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add roasted cauliflower and garlic (squeeze the paste out of the bulb. Bring to another boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add coconut milk and nutritional yeast, silken tofu, if using. Stir and simmer over low heat until well combined.
Remove from heat and puree in Vitamix or with immersion blender until smooth. Serve with chopped parsley.
Serves 4.
NOTE: This soup really results in a cheesy almost rarebit-like flavor. If you thickened a bit by reducing liquid, this could be a delightful vegan cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese!
chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top of the head of the garlic, revealing a small portion of each clove. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Toss the cauliflower in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the cauliflower and garlic for 30 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and celery. Cook for a few minutes. Add paprika, cayenne and salt.
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add roasted cauliflower and garlic (squeeze the paste out of the bulb. Bring to another boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add coconut milk and nutritional yeast, silken tofu, if using. Stir and simmer over low heat until well combined.
Remove from heat and puree in Vitamix or with immersion blender until smooth. Serve with chopped parsley.
Serves 4.
NOTE: This soup really results in a cheesy almost rarebit-like flavor. If you thickened a bit by reducing liquid, this could be a delightful vegan cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese!
1 serving = 365 calories
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