Tag Archives: Recipe

Creamy Harissa Lentil Soup

14 Apr

creamy lentil harissa soup

I had a heck of a time finding Harissa, and now that I have, I am definitely in love. It has a tomato paste bitterness to it, with the brightness of red chilis, coriander, and cumin adding depth and a little squirt breathes life into so many foods. I first bought it to make Soup Addict’s Spinach Egg and Harissa Chopped Salad and now I feel like the old lady in the Frank’s Red Hot commercials – I wanna put that sh*t on everything!

I think it would be lovely in a vinaigrette for a salad with roasted cherry tomatoes, mint, and chickpeas. I also want to turn it into a marinade for chicken skewers and then wrap it up in some warm buttered naan. What about a Harissa baba ganoush dip? And I don’t even like eggplant! Speaking of complementary flavours, mint, feta, lemon, toasted fennel seeds are all complementary if you want to experiment with Harissa.

Infatuation like this doesn’t take much tempting – and it was up against Sumac, which I have been eager to bust into ever since I found it at MacLean’s in Nanaimo last month. The can of full fat coconut milk was calling my name from the back of the pantry and I knew Harissa, as a North African spice, was a safer bet for experimenting with a huuujass pot of stoup.

This recipe will work with whatever vegetables you need to use up, though onions, celery and carrots should all play some role for mirepoix affect. And if you’re in Victoria, check out the newly renovated and expanded Rootcellar on Blenkinsop and Mackenzie. They now carry pretty much every food that has ever crawled into my heart and never left, and the space is open and bright and evokes a much more peaceful, breathable shopping experience!

Also, please do not skimp on the coconut milk, ok? I know, I know. It is tempting to buy the reduced fat stuff, but the truth is I just use that light coconut milk to justify a cookie, extra piece of French toast, or glass of Dark Matter somewhere else in life, so what’s the difference? Besides, the lentils and veggies will absorb most of the broth during cooking, so when you add the coconut milk it will just melt into the pot like a dream and you won’t regret it. I promise!

Creamy Harissa Lentil Soup

Makes a huuujass pot – I never understand how people count out soup servings since I eat soup in all kinds of serving sizes, whenever it feels like a good idea!

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 – 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (definitely more than the cinnamon but not as much as the Harissa)
2 generous squirts from the Harissa bottle (available in Victoria at Aubergine Foods and Chou Chou Charcuterie or Maclean’s in Nanaimo)
Cayenne pepper, salt, and black better to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can of coconut milk (not the light stuff!)
1 900 ml carton of vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups of dried green lentils
1/2 a large sweet white onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced

5 carrots, thickly sliced
5 celery stalks, chopped
Handful of cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 large bunch of kale, chopped finely

Sweat the onions, then add the mushrooms to brown them. Add all of the dried spices and Harissa paste, along with the garlic. Allow to toast and stir for about 1 minute, until it is fragrant and has absorbed the moisture from the onions and mushrooms and garlic. Add all the remaining vegetables, except the kale. Brown semi-covered for about five minutes to bring out the flavours in the spices and get them steamed into the vegetable mixture. Add the lentils and continue to brow semi-covered for another five minutes, stirring often.

Add the vegetable broth and raise the heat to medium-high until the stoup comes almost to a boil. Turn down to low and simmer covered for about 40 minutes. Add the kale, recover and cook for another 10 minutes. When the lentils are nice and tender, remove from the heat and add the can of coconut milk. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste and serve with fresh lime and cilantro.

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Less Sugar, More Mussel

4 Nov

October was a bit of a mess, nutrition-wise, and boy did we feel it. We certainly ate well, but between my birthday, Thanksgiving, our pumpkin beer sampling mission, and Halloween, let’s just say that there were a few choices we could have made differently. And with a trip to Vegas coming up at the end of the month, just ahead of the holidays, it could have been an insulin-flamed dive further into poor choices without some intervention.

There will still be beer and chocolate and all that good stuff, but we’re also trying to get back to a Nordic, anti-inflammatory way of eating that always makes us feel energized and satisfied. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen this weekend – check it out!

Miso-Ginger Mussels with Mushrooms, Kale, and Siracha

Check out the size of these babies from SaltSpring Island Mussels. Adding a tablespoon of white miso paste to the broth brings out the nuances of their natural flavour: earthy, sweet and just a tad salty, like the sea. I hate when mussel broths get so elaborate that the flavour of the mighty mussel itself becomes secondary. I also added grated ginger, garlic, onion, and a variety of mushrooms.

No Sugar, No Oil Added Banana Bread. I love love love finding a new blog full of style and recipes that instantly inspire me, which is exactly what The Sweet Beet turned out to be!

I recommend at least doubling the cinnamon. I did, and some of my taste-testers couldn’t even tell there was cinnamon in it. This is one of those simple, efficient base recipes that makes my brain start firing off variations while still chewing. Next time, I think I will try adding golden raisins and unsweetened coconut. Since it was my Mum’s birthday yesterday, I brought her the extra loaf. My stepdad Jim’s recommendation for next time is to add cloves, which inspired me to fantasize about a sugar free, oil free pumpkin version. It has great flavour, but it could have been spicier and what better to put with spices than pumpkin? Or are you totally sick of pumpkin to the point of almost being willing to accept Christmas music? I know, the fall pumpkin obsession has been a bit ridick, especially on the food blog corner of the web. But what if I put pieces of 90% cocoa dark chocolate in it? See, you still love me. Thankfully, having farmers in the family means I left with lots of eggs and a sweet pie pumpkin to make all my dreams come true.

Moroccan Spiced Lentil Veggie Stoup

I was having coffee and banana bread at the farm while Mr. ST finished the cooking process on this one, so unless you want a photo of the finished product in a giant plastic container in my fridge, this is as blog-worthy as it got ;) Lentils, mushrooms, sweet potato, red pepper, carrots, kale, and fresh fenugreek leaves that were randomly available at The Rootcellar this week! The main flavours came from healthy tablespoons of turmeric, cinnamon, curry powder, and cumin as well as the juice of a big lemon. Also, I can’t say enough about Pacific Foods organic broth. Short of making your own, it is a  fantastic alternative. I used the mushroom broth because we are funghi freaks. This is lunch for the week ahead!

And finally, Whistler Brewing Company’s Chesnut Ale.

I almost hate to say it, but it must be said: This beer is better than the Granville Island Winter Ale so many of us covet from November – February every year. Like the Winter Ale, it has vanilla overtones, but the added nutty and toasty elements in this beer really add to its charm and my inability to drink it as slowly as I should. It took me right back to when we visited the brewery during our trip to Whistler back in August….

The brewery is located at Function Junction, off Highway 99. We stopped in after our train-wreck art adventure in the woods!

Whistler Brewing has consistently impressed me this year. Flavoured beer is getting a big gimmicky at this point, but we admire when a craft brewery puts thought into making the flavouring a true elevation of a beer style’s thisness (if you’re willing to get all philosophical about it). I spent my summer following up my Saturday long runs with a dip at Thetis Lake and their Pineapple Express Wheat Ale. Refreshing rainy fall runs, followed by inhumanely hot showers, meet your new friend.

Nothing puts me more at ease than a weekend in my runners, in the kitchen, and snuggling on the couch with Mr. ST. Nourishment for the mind, body, and spirit!

PS – Do you have a favourite seasonal beer yet?

 

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Pumpkin, Beer, and Smoked Gouda Soup

21 Oct

I had planned to share some details of our noteworthy food and drink experiences in Vancouver, the Okanagan, and Squamish/Whistler/Pemberton from the summer, but the truth is that my heart belongs to fall and my brain is completely clouded over with infatuation for breezy gray days and root vegetables. And with the making of this soup, there is just no coming back – you’ve been warned.

Yesterday my mum dropped off a giant farm care package at my house, including a big ‘ole pie pumpkin and two pounds of bacon from the summer’s pigs. My first thought was to whip up some pumpkin pancetta pasta – but what to do with the rest?

We still have a bunch of pumpkin beers kicking around in the fridge (working on a ‘best of’ pumpkin beer post) and being that I am a cheese fiend, I started to think about beer cheese soup and how much more appealing it suddenly seemed with the velvety sweetness of fresh pumpkin……so I tabled my plans to make pear ginger coconut carrot soup and got down to business breaking down my pumpkin.

The small amount of curry powder and apple give just a bit of depth, but I deliberately stayed away from cinnamon and other Indian cross-over spices in order to retain the soup’s autumnal herb and cheese flavour.

The beer I chose, Howe Sound’s Pumpkin Strong Ale, has quite a powerful molasses note that worked exceptionally well here. You will probably still have great results with a nut brown or an amber, but the pungent taste of a strong ale is ideal.

Pumpkin, Beer, and Smoked Gouda Soup

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Half a large sweet white onion, diced small
  • 1 gala apple, diced large
  • 2 carrots, thickly sliced into coins
  • 1 tablespoon of mild curry powder
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 big sprig of thyme
  • sage leaves
  • 4.5 – 5 cups of pumpkin, large dice (sweet pie pumpkin)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1.5 cups strong ale
  • 1 – 1.5 cups grated smoked gouda
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Sweat the onions for a few minutes until they start to get translucent and then add the apple. Sautee them together until the apple becomes fragrant and starts to soften.

Add the carrots and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes or so.

Add the lightly smashed clove of garlic and the curry powder. Stir and work into the vegetables until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the vegetable stock, beer, and diced pumpkin. Stir it all together then crank up the heat to medium-high.

When it starts to come to a boil, stir in a few sage leaves a big sprig of thyme.

Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin and carrot are both very tender. I am always surprised at just how quickly pumpkin cooks!

Remove from the heat. Remove the big branch of thyme and a couple of the sage leaves. I left one sage leaf in the soup when I blended it all together with my hand blender.

Return the pot to the stove and stir in the cheese in small handfuls, over low heat. Smoked gouda is not a great melting cheese so there will be flecks of curd-like cheesy bits in your soup but it mostly melts, which I think is the best of both worlds. You could also use an aged white cheddar. I didn’t add any salt or pepper until the very end, which is the best way to go with anything cheese heavy because you’re going to get some salt/seasoning from the cheese itself.

I served this up for dinner sprinkled with spicy sweet roasted pumpkin seeds on top and kale chips for crunch.

This dish has inspired me to try going all the way with Indian spices and stewed pumpkin. Maybe also with kale stewed into it and some cubed paneer. Pumpkin Saag Paneer, anyone? I wish I had a hollow leg. And another pumpkin.

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Walking Contradiction

13 Oct

Broccoli is one of those veggies that makes a good sidekick, but it’s not much of a star. Sure, it holds up well in stir fry and I do love me some savory sweet broccoli slaw in the summer but even when it is blanched, I find the true essence of broccoli to be woody and just a bit ho hum. And I’m usually of the mind that if the only way I can enjoy a particular veggie is to douse it in cheese, heavy cream, eggs, or butter, then it’s probably not worth keeping in the dinner rotation. However, I’m also of the mind that eating well on a reasonable budget and being a resourceful home cook means working with what’s cheap, seasonal and plentiful. So, since broccoli was 99 cents a pound last week and I do love me some pesto, I decided to make Deb’s broccoli cream pesto pasta. Life’s just more fun when you embrace contradiction, anyway.

If you like broccoli cheese soup, pesto, or broccoli slaw, this pasta hits on all those cravings. The flavour is a little bland as written, but you can add more heat, acid or cheese to your tastes. I added extra garlic, red chilies and a bunch of lemon zest. I also roasted some prawns with lemon zest and red chillies and added those at the end. Next time, I’ll also add a splash of white white. If you object to the use of the term “pesto” without the presence of nuts, I could see toasted finely chopped almonds working well in this dish as well, to complement the woody flavour of the broccoli and add a bit more depth. And with so few components, I would recommend grana padano or parmigiano regianno. I used shredded light parm and it was a sad mistake. So, do as I say and not as a I do ;-) This pasta is creamy and cheesey and yet somehow still light, even for a pasta. As it turns out, contradiction is also delicious.

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Arepas: Make your tacos jealous

22 Jun

This post has been waiting to be published for months and I am tired of that forlorn little bag of masarepa flour staring at me from the pantry disapprovingly. Today I saw a post on The Domestic Man about arepas and a rerun of Unique Eats about an arepa joint in New York City and finally said “ENOUGH”. The world needs to know (ok ok, the 10-20 members of my family who read this blog have to know…Hi Mom!)

Have you ever tried an arepa? I tasted my first one at La Fogata Latina last summer and have been hooked ever since. They’re a Venezuelan staple: a sweet corn pocket that can be filled with an egg mixture for breakfast, a meat and veggie filling for lunch or dinner, and you could even go so far as to stuff some chocolate and fruit in there for dessert. They’re less involved than tamales but they’re also a similarly hearty alternative to tacos.

Here’s what you need to make your own:

  • 1 cup masarepa corn flour*
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

*I found masarepa corn flour at a Mexican ingredients store on Douglas Street near Paul’s Motor Inn.

Mix with a fork, then let the mixture sit and absorb the water for about five minutes. Form the dough into four even balls and then flatten slightly. I let my second batch chill in the fridge for 10 minutes before handling it, which helped it hold together better than the first.

Sear over medium-high heat with a small amount of vegetable or canola oil. This is important, so that they can stand up to being sliced open later.

Transfer the arepas to a baking sheet and bake in a 350F degree oven for 20 minutes. They should puff up while in the oven, but they should feel firm to the touch.

While they’re still hot, slice them open halfway. I didn’t need to scoop out any dough to make room for the filling, but some recipes call for doing this. It will depend on the thickness and the amount of filling you want to jam into each one.

My filling:

  • 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • Red pepper, sliced
  • Red onion, sliced
  • Mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 chicken breast, poached in water with one quartered lime, oregano, and salt and pepper

Toss everything into a sauté pan with a splash of oil and cook as you would a fajita filling – just to tender crisp – and then jam it into your sliced arepas. Now, garnish to your heart’s desire! We chose birds eye chillies, sliced green onion, cilantro, lime juice and monterey jack cheese. We also could not eat arepas without homemade pink sauce.

Allow the arepa to replace stir fry as your go-to crisper cleaner. Whatever is looking fresh or frowny and needs eating will work. With all the mango, naval oranges and pineapple on sale right now, I’m thinking my next batch will be a fruit salsa and chorizo with mashed avocado instead of cheese. A whole new carb vessel for your home-cook imagination to take flight!

If you’re intrigued by arepas and want to learn more, this blog has a great number of posts all about them! It was my source for this homemade test. Or, head to La Fogata Latina, because they are one of the best cheap (and authentic) eats in Victoria.

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