Ezme

Adapted from an Ottolenghi recipe. 

Ingredients

2 shallots

6 garlic cloves

5 red chiles (I used Fresnos)

6 plum tomatoes

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. tomato paste

2 1/2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses

20 g. walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

1 c. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1 c. fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

1/2 c. Greek style yogurt (I used Kite Hill) 

Directions

Heat up the grill. In a large bowl, mix the shallots, garlic, chiles, tomatoes and a tablespoon of the oil. Once the grill is hot, grill the vegetables, using tongs to turn them as necessary: give the shallots about two minutes on each side, until softened and charred; grill the chiles and garlic for about five minutes, turning often, until the skins are blistered and blackened all over; and grill the tomatoes for about 10 minutes, until softened and blistered. Once cooked, lift the vegetables on to a board and leave to cool.

Once the grilled vegetables are cool, peel off and discard the chiles, garlic and tomato skins, then finely chop all the vegetables and put in a medium bowl. Stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and all the remaining ingredients for the ezme, except the yogurt, then set aside.

To serve, spoon the yogurt over a large platter, spread it out evenly with the back of the spoon, then make a well in the center. Spoon the ezme on top and serve.

Fiery Green Tahini Sauce

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/fiery-green-tahini-sauce

Ingredients
2 lemons
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup tahini (such as Soom)
Kosher salt

3 cups chopped parsley

2 serrano chiles

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Directions
Finely grate zest of 1 lemon into a blender. Cut both lemons in half and tease out seeds. Squeeze juice into blender; you should have around ½ cup. Add chiles, garlic, parsley, oil, and ⅓ cup cold water and blend on high speed until smooth and very green. NOTE: With water, it's a condiment, without the water it's more of a sauce.

Pour mixture into a medium bowl, add tahini, and whisk until fully incorporated; season sauce generously with salt.

Cover and chill. Sauce can be made 3 days ahead.

Makes about 2 cups. 

Lemon Basil & Beet Hummus

Ingredients
4 lemon-sized beets
2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 can)
1/3 c. tahini
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, based on preference
Handful of fresh basil
Water (or aquafaba from cooking chickpeas)
Salt

Directions
Cook the beets until tender, using your preferred method. (I have both roasted and cooked them in the Instant Pot successfully.) Peel and chop the beets into pieces. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender (I used a Vitamix) and blend until smooth; use as much water as necessary to get the ingredients moving and add more to achieve your desired consistency. Salt to taste.

Makes about 4 cups of hummus.

1 tbsp = 20 calories

Caponata

Ingredients
1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
¼ cup chopped green olives
2 teaspoons capers
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss eggplant with 2 tbsp. oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 25–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add onion, celery, olives, and capers, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 12–15 minutes; season with
salt and pepper.

Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add roasted eggplant and stir to coat.

Makes about 6 cups

Radio Social's Hummus

Ingredients
1 c. dried chickpeas
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. tahini - use Soom!
1 c. lemon juice
2 heads of garlic, chopped with the skins on
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 c. ice water, a few tablespoons at a time

Instructions
Put chickpeas in a container with baking soda and cover with water. Soak for 24 hours.

While your chickpeas are soaking, make your "mother sauce" base. Start by making garlic-infused lemon juice by combining lemon juice with garlic cloves (with the skins on) and let sit for 10 minutes. Then, strain out the garlic. Use a food processor to blend the tahini paste, salt, and cumin with ice water, a few tablespoons at a time. You will be left with your tahini mother sauce, a puree that resembles a light hummus.

After the chickpeas have soaked for 24 hours, simmer them over gentle heat for 90 minutes to two hours, stirring often. You can leave the pot on the stove and "let them go until they're gone." The chickpeas will double in volume in the cooking process, so be sure to use more water than you think you need. You should be able to mash the peas between your fingers without resistance.

Strain the peas until most of the moisture is removed. Set aside some of the water. Puree 1.5 cups of tahini mother sauce and the chickpeas together. Add both elements to the food processor and puree. A good rule of thumb: when you think you're done pureeing, keep going for 3 to 5 more minutes. This incorporates air into the puree and further breaks down the chickpeas.

Plate your hummus into a dish and top with a garnish of your choice! Serve immediately for best results, with dipping breads or veggies. The hummus will keep in the fridge for several days.

Burnt Eggplant with Tahini

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.

Sweet Potato & Lime Taquitos

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. sweet potato (about 1 large), peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2 tbsp. vegan butter substitute, ghee, or butter
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. red onion, chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut in half
12-14 white corn tortillas, warmed
olive oil

For dipping sauce: 
2 ripe avocados, scooped from shells
1/4 c. red onion, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. water
kosher salt to taste

Directions
For dressing, combine avocado, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and water in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with kosher salt and chill until ready to use.

Heat a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, drop the potatoes into the water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain, return the potatoes to the pot and combine with the vegan butter, cinnamon, cumin, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine red onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally.

In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/4-inch of oil over medium heat. Working with one tortilla at a time, rub the fleshy side of a half a lime over the tortilla, then spread 1 heaping tablespoon of mashed sweet potato and 1/2 tablespoon of the onion, cilantro and lime mixture, evenly along one side of the tortilla. Gently roll the tortilla tightly beginning on the side with the filling. Use a toothpick to secure the taquito so it doesn't unroll while cooking. (Corn tortillas have a tendency to dry out quickly and split, so first warm tortillas by microwaving for 30 seconds in a damp paper towel. Then, roll 4 taquitos, place in hot pan, then roll 4 more while the others were cooking until all finished.)

Place the prepared taquitos seam side down in the hot oil and cook, rotating with tongs, until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Continue to cook the rest of the taquitos in batches, adding more oil if needed. Remove the toothpicks after frying and serve with dipping sauce, lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges.

Serves 4 as main dish or 8 as appetizer.

Muhammara Dip

Ingredients
1-12 oz. jar roasted red bell peppers (in water)
1/2 c. raw walnuts
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice bread
2 tbsp. sun dried tomatoes, softened in warm water
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses, plus more to taste
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped to serve

Directions
Drain the bell peppers, and pat dry. Throw all ingredients except parsley into your high-speed blender and blast on high for about 30 to 60 seconds until smooth and creamy. Tweak the pomegranate molasses, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes to taste. Chill in fridge for a few hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley. Served with toasted ciabatta, pita, crackers, or crudites. The dip will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days.

Crispy Quinoa Bites

Ingredients
2 c. cooked quinoa
1 c. cannellini beans, mashed
1/2 c. Panko bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
4 tbsp. buffalo or other sauce

Directions
Mix all ingredients. Form into bite-sized balls. Fry in olive oil until crispy. Dress further with sauce, if desired. Makes about 30 quinoa bites.

NOTE: The buffalo version are terrific on a salad with butter lettuce, carrots, celery, scallions and blue cheese with a buttermilk dressing.

Carrot & Leek Quesadillas

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly (whites and light green parts only)
4 carrots, shredded (about 2 c.)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 c. sharp cheddar, shredded
6 flour tortillas

Directions
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the leeks and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, sea salt, honey, Sriracha, lime juice and 1/4 cup of water. Continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed and the carrot mixture is tender, about 3 minutes.

Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese over half of each tortilla. Top each with the carrot mixture. Divide the remaining cheese between the tortillas and fold them in half, pressing to help them stick together.

Wipe out the skillet and brush lightly with half of the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook 2 of the quesadillas over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve with salsa and/or guacamole. 

Serves 2 as dinner, 4 as appetizer.

Buffalo Cauliflower

It's always the guilty pleasures that I miss as a vegetarian... like Buffalo wings and hot dogs. Here's a pretty awesome substitute for the former. 

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 c. flour

1-1/2 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 c. Frank’s Red Hot (or similar)

1/2 c. unsalted butter

1/3 c. ketchup

2 tbsp. honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together flour, buttermilk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The batter should be thick, similar to brownie mix. Coat the cauliflower in the batter. You may want to coat each individual floret, or add to the batter and gently toss to coat. Bake in one layer, on a cookie sheet or shallow pan for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a little crispy.

Meanwhile, combine Frank’s Red Hot, butter, ketchup, and honey in a saucepan and heat on low until well mixed.

Once the cauliflower is baked, remove from the oven and coat with Buffalo sauce. You may find it easiest to put the cauliflower in a large bowl and toss to coat. Put the cauliflower back in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery. 

P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
3 tbsp. oil
2 c. meat substitute (“chicken” strips or soy crumbles)
1 c, water chestnuts
2/3 c. mushrooms
3 tbsp. chopped onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
4 -5 leaves lettuce

Special Sauce
1/4 c.sugar
1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. hot mustard
2 tsp. water
1 -2 tsp. garlic and red chile paste

Stirfry Sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar

Directions
Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute meat substitute until slightly browned. Remove from the pan and cool. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.

As it cools, mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl. When the meat substitute is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.

With the pan still on high heat, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add meat substitute, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.

Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups". Top with"Special Sauce".

Elote

Ingredients
1 lb. package of frozen corn
1 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Cholula brand hot sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. sugar
¼ c. cotija cheese
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped as garnish
Tortilla chips

Directions
Sautee corn in pan in a little oil to heat and slightly roast, but not burn. Add everything else except the cheese and cilantro and heat just to simmer. Put in serving bowl and top with cheese and cilantro.

Classic Tzatziki

A traditional Greek dip, tzatziki makes a tasty topping for sandwiches. Serve with pita wedges or crudités.

Ingredients

1 c. cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Place cucumber on several layers of paper towels; sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine cucumber, yogurt, and remaining ingredients, stirring until well blended. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Savory Peach Butter

You simply must wait until peaches are in season here. Serve with warmed brie and a baguette.

Ingredients

3-1/2 lbs. peaches, peeled and pureed

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. packed thyme

1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

1 pkg. no sugar pectin

sugar to taste

Directions

Add thyme, black pepper, pureed peaches and lemon juice to a pot and bring to a full, rolling boil. Add the pectin, bring to a boil, and cook for one minute. Then add sugar to taste. The pectin does not require sugar to set, so you can add as much or as little as you want. At the wedding, we wanted the peach butter to be pretty savory, so we didn't add a whole lot of sugar. Boil for one more minute and add to clean, warm jars. Process for 10 minutes in a canner.

Makes a few pints.

Pickled Dilly Beans

You can essentially choose any fresh vegetable to pickle here. Try traditional cucumbers or asparagus or peppers!

Ingredients

Enough vegetables to pack six pint jars

1/3 c. pickling or canning salt

Ice water

1/2 c. sweet red or green bell pepper, finely diced

2 tbsp. garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (or 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper)

2 tbsp. dill seeds, divided (or 4 to 5 fresh dill sprigs per jar)

2 tbsp. black peppercorns, divided

1-1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 tbsp. mustard seeds

4 c. white vinegar

1 c. water

Directions

Prepare canner, jars and lids as directed in a canning book. In a small bowl, combine red pepper, garlic, jalapeno and 1 tbsp. of dill seeds. (If using fresh dill sprigs, set aside for now.) Mix well and set aside. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, mustard seeds, remaining dill seeds, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and boil gently for five minutes.

Pack jars snuggly with beans and dill sprigs (if using). Place 2 tbsp. of the red pepper mixture into each jar. Add hot pickling liquid to cover vegetables, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Slide a small rubber spatula into the jar to release air bubbles and settle the vegetables in the jar. Adjust headspace if necessary by adding more pickling liquid. Wipe rim, place lid and band on jar, and tighten until you feel resistance. Then adjust to fingertip tight.

Process jars in the canner (there should be at least 1 inch of water above the jars) for 10 minutes, at a full rolling boil. At the end of 10 minutes, remove canner lid and turn off heat. Let sit for five minutes. Then remove jars without tilting. Allow jars to rest, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Check seal before storing.

Makes six pint jars.

Red Onion Marmalade

Serve with a special blue cheese and pumpernickel. Yum!

Ingredients

1-1/2 c. red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 c. dried cranberries, finely chopped

1/4 c. brown sugar, lightly packed

1/4 c. cider vinegar

2 tsp. orange zest, grated

3 c. unsweetened apple juice

1 pkg. regular powdered fruit pectin

4 c. granulated sugar

Directions

Prepare canner, jars and lids. In a skillet, over medium heat, combine red onion, cranberries, brown sugar and vinegar. Cook, stirring, until onion is transparent, about 10 minutes.

In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine cooked onion mixture, orange zest, and apple juice. Whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with small rubber spatula and adjust headspace, as necessary. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait five minutes, then remove jars, cool and store (without bands).

Makes about five 8-oz. jars.

Bruschetta

In order to have the time to prepare all the food for our wedding, we had to do some of the cooking in advance. So, having recently gotten into canning, we decided to pickle and preserve all of our appetizers. We then served each with complementary bread and cheese. If you haven't canned before, we recommend one of the many basic books that describes the process. Following specific canning instructions is very important if you want to avoid food-born illness. We like Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving, edited by Kingry and Devine.

Ingredients

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. dry white wine

1 c. white wine vinegar

1/2 c. water

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tbsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. dried basil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

9 c. plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

Directions

Prepare canner, jars and lids (this is where you need to reference a canning book). In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine garlic, wine, wine vinegar, water, sugar, basil, oregano an balsamic vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for five minutes, until garlic is heated through. Remove from heat.

Pack tomatoes into hot jars within a generous 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Ladle hot vinegar mixture into the jar to cover tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles with a small rubber spatula and adjust headspace. Add hot liquid as necessary to maintain 1/2 inch. Wipe rim, center lid on jar and screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in a canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 20 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait five minutes, then remove jars, cool and store (without band).

Makes about seven 8-oz. jars.

Curried Cauliflower Pickles

Ingredients
2 heads cauliflower, washed and cut into small florets
1 qt. apple cider vinegar
1/2 qt. white wine vinegar
1 qt. water
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 lg. knob of ginger, peeled and cut into large pieces
6 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 bay leaves
small handful of thyme
2 tbsp. whole cardamom pods
large pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole star anise
2 tbsp. whole corriander seed
1 tbsp. fennel seeds
2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. salt

Directions
Combine all ingredients, except for cauliflower, in a stainless steel pot and bring to a boil. When the liquid come to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Bring the liquid back up to a boil, add the cauliflower, let boil for one minute, and then remove from heat. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, place the cauliflower in jars and cover with the liquid (do not strain out the spices). Refrigerate. The pickles will be ready in one week and will only get better with age. Once opened, consume within four weeks(ish).

NOTE: If you want to seal the pickles for long-term storage, follow recommended pickling instructions for cauliflower.

Vegetable Pizza

Ingredients
2 pkg. crescent rolls
2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
1 pkg. Hidden Valley ranch mix
3/4 cup each broccoli, cauliflower, red bell pepper, carrot, chopped small
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
paprika, for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out and smooth crescent rolls onto baking sheet (no perforations should remain!). Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Whip together cream cheese, sour cream and ranch mix. Spread evenly on cooled pastry. Evenly disperse chopped veggies (placing one veggie at a time). Gently press veggies into ranch mixture, sprinkle cheddar cheese and paprika. Use kitchen scissors to cut into squares.