Turkish Stuffed Peppers

I'm not sure what possessed me to make such a time consuming dinner on a weekday, when I knew I had a lot do to that day.  Oh, and did I mention that I chose to make hummus - from scratch, using dried beans - as a side dish? I suppose it's a good thing I bought the pitas, and didn't try to make my own!

Somehow, though, I managed to get the peppers done while my almost 3-month-old daughter, Tova, napped (thankfully, she decided to take a really long afternoon nap today!). And they were worth every minute they took to make! I tend to love savory recipes that have cinnamon it them, and this was no exception. We all loved these, and I will definitely make them again.

In case you were wondering how I fit the hummus into my schedule: I soaked the chickpeas overnight, cooked them as soon as I woke up in the morning while I was getting the two older kids ready for school, put them in the fridge, and the finished making the hummus right before dinner.
I used THIS recipe, from the same cookbook as the peppers. It's fantastic.

Stuffed Peppers (Turkey)
Mediterranean Harvest, Martha Rose Shulman

6 medium red bell peppers
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large or 2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons dried currants, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups water, divided
1 1/4 cups short-grain rice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
Lemon wedges

Cut the tops off the peppers and remove and discard the seeds and membranes. Save the tops.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, wide saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the onion and pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute, and stir in the currants, cinnamon, allspice, and sugar. Stir together, then add 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover the pan with a clean towel. Leave for 10 minutes, then stir in the herbs. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture and replace the caps. Stand the peppers in a wide pan. Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoon olive oil, and the lemon juice, and pour over and around the peppers. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, until there is no longer any liquid, just oil, in the pan and the peppers are very tender. Uncover and cool in the pan.

Arrange the peppers on a platter, garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing over the peppers, and serve.

6 main dish servings or 8 to 10 appetizer servings

Advance preparation: This is an excellent keeper, and since it should be served at room temperature, it's fine to make it a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. Bring back to room temperature before serving. You can also make the rice filling a day before stuffing the peppers.

Bruschetta with White Bean Puree

I've tried several white bean dips, and this one is by far my favorite. It's really creamy and fresh tasting. I had to hold myself back from going back for thirds!

(I forgot to save the bean broth, so I just used water in the puree and it came out fine. Also, my beans were finished cooking after the first hour, so make sure to keep a close eye on them.)

Bruschetta with White Bean Puree
The Very Best of Recipes for Health, Martha Rose Shulman

This recipe will give you more white bean puree than you'll need for the bruschetta. The savory, hummus-like mixture makes a great high-protein, high-fiber dip or spread, so you'll be glad to have plenty left over. You can use canned white beans for this, though they won't taste as good. Substitute milk for the bean broth and omit the garlic.

1 cup dried white beans, rinsed and picked over, soaked for 6 hours or overnight in 1 quart water
1 medium onion, halved
4 garlic cloves, divided
1 bay leaf
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Ground black pepper
4-8 slices country bread, preferably whole grain
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, rosemary, or parsley

Drain the beans and transfer to a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion, 2 of the garlic cloves, the bay leaf, and 1 quart of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt to taste and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beans are thoroughly tender. Drain through a sieve set over a bowl. Set aside the cooking liquid. Discard the onion and bay leaf.

Mash 1 of the raw garlic cloves with 1/4 teaspoon salt with a mortar and pestle.

Place the beans and the mashed garlic in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add 2 tablespoons of the bean broth, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and the lemon juice. Stop the machine, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Add more of the bean broth as needed for a creamier consistency. The mixture should have the same consistency as moist hummus.

Lightly toast the bread. Halve the remaining garlic clove and rub the toast, then brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Top with the white beans, sprinkle with the herbs, and serve.

4 servings (plus extra white bean puree)

362 Calories, 16 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 16 g fiber, 12 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 177 mg sodium 

Eggplant Caponata

This is one of my favorite ways to cook eggplant. It's a fabulous sweet-and sour dish that is great served hot as a side dish, but my favorite way to eat it is at room temperature (or a little warm) with some really good crusty bread.

Eggplant Caponata
Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis

1/4 cup olive oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
3 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon drained capers
1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the caponata to a bowl, garnish with the basil leaves, and serve.

6 side-dish servings (will serve more as an appetizer)

Farfalle with Zucchini, Mint, and Almonds

This is a lovely summer pasta dish. Although I do not grow my own vegetables (I've killed pretty much everything I've tried growing, except for rosemary and oregano), I know that many people who have gardens tend to have an abundance of zucchini and mint, and this would be a great way to use some of it up.
I served it with a simple tomato salad (sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, minced fresh garlic, coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil). This salad would also be wonderful with it.

Farfalle with Zucchini, Mint, and Almonds

Vegan Italiano, Donna Klein

2 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces each), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint or basil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup blanched almonds
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound farfalle (bow tie pasta), cooked according to package directions until al dente, drained

Place the zucchini in a medium saucepan with salted water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.

Place the mint, oil, almonds, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the knife blade; process until smooth. Add about three-fourths of the drained zucchini and process until pureed but still slightly chunky.

Place the hot cooked pasta in a large bowl and add the zucchini puree and remaining zucchini; toss well to thoroughly combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

5 to 6 main-dish servings, or 8 pasta-course servings

Per serving: 490 Calories, 14g protein, 16g Total Fat, 2g Sat. Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 72g Carbohydrate, 4g Dietary Fiber, 388mg Sodium

No-Knead Crusty White Bread

I have a love/hate relationship with homemade bread . There is nothing quite like homemade bread -  the smell as it bakes, the fresh taste of a just-baked loaf. But I hate, hate , hate kneading dough. I just really hate the mess that it makes in the kitchen (and on me), and I have no patience for the time that it takes. So when I saw this recipe for no-knead bread I knew that I had to try it. And I'm really glad that I did! It was so easy, and the results were fantastic! Everybody who tasted it raved about how good it was. I will definitely be making this often!
I did make a couple small changes: I did not have instant yeast, so I used an equal amount of active dry yeast that I dissolved in the water for 5 minutes before adding the flour and salt. Also, when I mixed everything together, the dough was a bit dry (I don't know if it was because of the weather or because I used a different brand of flour) so I added an extra 1/4 cup or so of warm water to make a wet dough.
I let mine rise for 5 days.

No-Knead Crusty White Bread

KingArthurFlour.com

The most basic of all no-knead loaves, this is a wonderful way to get into yeast-bread baking. The easy stir-together dough rests in your refrigerator, developing flavor all the time, till you're ready to bake. About 90 minutes before you want to serve bread, grab a handful of dough, shape it, let it rise, then bake for 30 minutes. The result? Incredible, crusty artisan-style bread. If you're a first-time bread baker, you'll never believe this bread came out of your own oven. If you're a seasoned yeastie, you'll love this recipe's simplicity.

Our thanks to Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois, whose wonderful book, Artisan bread in Five Minutes a Day, is the inspiration for this recipe.

3 cups lukewarm water

2 pounds King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (6 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

* If you measure flour by sprinkling it into your measuring cup, then gently sweeping off the excess, use 7 1/2 cups. If you measure flour by dipping your cup into the canister, then sweeping off the excess, use 6 1/2 cups. Most accurate of all, and guaranteed to give you the best results, if you measure the flour by weight, use 32 ounces (2 pounds).

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl or a large (6-quart) food-safe plastic container. For first-timers, "lukewarm" means about 105F, but don't worry about getting the temperatures exact here. Comfortably warm is fine; "OUCH, that's hot!" is not. Yeast is a living thing; treat it nicely.

Mix and stir everything together to make a very sticky, rough dough. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with a beater blade for 30 to 60 seconds. If you don't have a mixer, just stir-stir-stir with a big spoon or dough whisk until everything is combined. Next, you're going to let the dough rise. If you've made the dough in a plastic container, you're all set - just let it stay there, covering the container with a lid or plastic wrap; a shower cap actually works well here. If you've made the dough in a bowl that's not at least 6-quart capacity, transfer it to a large bowl; it's going to rise a lot. There's no need to grease the bowl, though you can if you like; it makes it a bit easier to get the dough out when it's time to bake bread.

Cover the bowl or container, and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or up to about 7 days. (If you're pressed for time, skip the room-temperature rise, and stick it right into the fridge). The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it will get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it'll rise, then fall. That's okay; that's what it's supposed to do.

When  you're ready to make bread, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour; this will make it easier to grab a hunk. Grease your hands, and pull off about 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough - a 14-ounce to 19-ounce piece, if you have a scale. It'll be about the size of a softball or a large grapefruit.

Plop the sticky dough onto a floured work surface, and round it into a ball or a longer log. Don't fuss around trying to make it perfect; just do the best you can.

Place the dough on a piece of parchment parchment paper (if you're going to use a baking stone), or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top; this will help keep the dough moist as it rests before baking.

Let the dough rise for about 45 to 60 minutes. It won't appear to rise upwards that much; rather, it'll seem to settle and expand. Preheat your oven (and baking stone, if you're using one) to 450F while the dough rests. Place a shallow pan on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.

When you're ready to bake, take a sharp knife and slash the bread 2 or 3 times, making a cut about 1/2-inch deep. The bread may deflate a bit; that's okay. It'll pick right up in the hot oven.

Place the bread in the oven, and carefully pour the cup of hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It'll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly.

Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until it's a deep, golden brown.

Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

3 to 4 loaves.

Marinara Sauce

Next week I am going to be making a few things that use marinara sauce, so today I threw together this super-simple recipe. I portioned it into zip-top bags to put in the freezer until I need to use it.

Marinara Sauce

Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 2 quarts (8 cups)

Veggie Slaw

This is a great fresh-flavored alternative to a creamy coleslaw.

Veggie Slaw

The Kosher Palette II

Salad:

1 head red cabbage, shredded, or 2 (12-ounce) bags shredded red cabbage

1 pound carrots, shredded
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 each orange, yellow and red peppers, chopped

1 Hass avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into small pieces

Garlic Herb Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 cup fresh dill weed, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon mustard

2 to 3 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine cabbage, carrots, red onion, and bell peppers in a large bowl.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until well mixed.
Toss the salad with the dressing and avocado, and mix well.
12-14 servings

Island Bean Burgers with Caribbean-Style Creole Sauce

One of my favorite go-to cookbooks is Donna Klein's Vegan Italiano. It's filled with delicious recipes that are healthy, inexpensive and easy to make. When I saw that she had a new cookbook out, The Tropical Vegan Kitchen, I immediately checked it out from the library.
Last night I tried my first recipe from it - Island Bean Burgers with Caribbean-Style Creole Sauce. Although I have tried many bean burger recipes before, and liked them, I never thought I'd classify one as an "Oh, my God!" recipe. But that is exactly what I exclaimed when I took my first bite of this. The burgers themselves were very good, but the sauce just took them over to fantastic! Seriously. I'm already looking forward to making them again.
I had them with roasted sweet potato wedges... which I dipped into the extra sauce, of course! Yum!

Island Bean Burgers with Caribbean-Style Creole Sauce
The Tropical Vegan Kitchen, Donna Klein

For a spicier burger, add a dash of hot pepper sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the bean mixture before cooking.

1 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans

1 cup cooked brown rice, preferably warm

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon peanut oil (I used canola)

4 hamburger buns, preferably whole wheat

Caribbean-Style Creole Sauce (recipe follows)

In a large bowl, mix together the beans, rice, onion, ketchup, chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Mash well with a potato masher. Divide mixture into 4 balls. With wet hands, form each ball into an even patty.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Place each patty inside a hamburger bun and serve at once, passing the Creole sauce separately.

4 servings

Caribbean-Style Creole Sauce

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup tomato ketchup

1/4 cup water

1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste

1 teaspoon molasses

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or more to taste (I used sriracha - Thai hot chili sauce)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add the parsley and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup, water, vinegar, lime juice, molasses, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remover from heat and let cool to room temperature. Mixture can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Makes about 1 cup

Rotelle with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Basil

Sometimes a few simple ingredients combine to become a really great dish, and this is one of those recipes. Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their flavor, and when combined with other Italian staples it makes for a delicious meal.

Rotelle with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Basil

Vegan Italiano, Donna Klein

2 pints (4 cups) grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon coarse coarse salt, plus additional to taste, if necessary

8 ounces rotelle, fusilli, or other spiral-shaped pasta

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 250F. Line a large baking sheet with sides with parchment paper.

Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with the salt. Bake in the center of the oven until the tomatoes are dried around the edges but still moist, about 1 1/2 hours (cherry tomatoes will take longer).

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large stockpot in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain well. Return to the pot and add the tomatoes, reserved cooking liquid, basil, remaining oil, garlic, pepper, and salt, if necessary; toss well to thoroughly combine. Serve warm.

3 to 4 servings