Harvest Vegetable Ragout

Harvest Vegetable Ragout

 

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

3 cups diced butternut squash

2 cups sliced leek, ½ inch-thick

1 ½ cups sliced carrot, 1-inch-thick

1 ½ cups sliced parsnip, ½ inch-thick

1 cups sliced celery, ½ inch-thick

10 garlic cloves, halved

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup dry red wine

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

4 cups of cooked brown rice

thyme springs

1.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2.  Combine squash and next 5 ingredients and sauté for 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.

3.  Add bay leaves and 4 thyme sprigs, and stir in tomato paste.
4.  Stir in flour and wine, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes.
5.  Stir in the broth and chickpeas.  

6.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
7.  Stir in 1 teaspoon salt pepper, and chopped parsley.
8.  Discard bay leaves and thyme.

9.  Place rice into serving bowls.

10. Ladle stew over rice.

11. Garnish with additional thyme sprigs, if desired.

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

1 small red onion diced

1 tomato, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Coarse kosher salt

1.  Combine chickpeas, basil, parsley, thyme, red onion, tomato, red pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in medium bowl.

2.  Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly.

3.  Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Chickpea and Greens Curry Soup

Chickpea and Greens Curry Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon       

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cups chopped fresh spinach or beet greens 

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

1 medium tomato, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups coconut milk

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

1.  Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.  Add curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, chili powder, nutmeg, and onion, and gently stir.

3.  Add carrot and spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

4.  Stir in chickpeas, tomato, broth, and coconut milk.

5.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour, skimming as necessary.

6.  Add cilantro for garnish.

Curried Red Lentil & Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans

Curried Red Lentil & Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon curry powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups vegetable broth
12 cups Swiss chard, coarsely chopped

1 cup asparagus, chopped
2 cups red lentils
2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
Plain yogurt

1.  Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.  Add onion; sauté until golden, about 13 minutes. 

3.  Mix in curry and cayenne.

4.  Add broth and chard. 

5.  Increase heat; bring to boil.

6.  Add asparagus, lentils, and garbanzos; reduce heat to medium.
7.  Cover; simmer until lentils are tender, stirring twice, about 10 minutes.

8.  Divide stew among bowls. 
9.  Top with yogurt.

Farro and Chickpea Soup

Farro and Chickpea Soup

1 1/2 cups of farro soaked in water for at an hour

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely diced

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped

2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped

3 bay leaves

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed

1-inch piece of Parmesan rind

6 cups of vegetable stock

2 cups of tomato juice

2 cups of cooked chickpeas

1 cup of spinach, chopped

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, minced

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Drain farro.
2. Heat oil in a wide soup pot and add onion, celery, rosemary, parsley, oregano, bay leaves, and tomatoes.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, cheese rind, drained farro, stock, and tomato juice.
5. Bring to a boil, then cover pan and simmer until the farro is tender about 20 minutes.
6. Add chickpeas and spinach for 5 minutes.
7. Taste and correct for salt and pepper.
8. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle some olive oil, add rosemary, and grate some Parmesan cheese.

Chickpea and Greens Curry Soup

Chickpea and Greens Curry Soup

 1 tablespoon olive oil

 1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon cayenne powder     

1 teaspoon of cardamon

1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cups chopped fresh spinach or beet greens

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

 1 medium tomato, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth 

2 cups coconut milk

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

8 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, divided, for garnish, optional

1.  Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.  Add curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, cardamon, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and 

     onion, and gently stir.

3.  Add spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
4.  Stir in chickpeas, tomato, broth, and coconut milk.

5.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour, skimming as necessary.

6.  Add cilantro, and garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt.

Fragrant Chickpea Stew

Fragrant Chickpea Stew

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1   medium red onion, chopped (1 cup)

5 medium cloves  garlic, minced

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, ground

1 cup water

1   red potato, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 19-ounce or 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook cumin seeds for 10 seconds

2 . Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until dark brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Add coriander; cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. 

4. Stir in water, potato, chickpeas, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

5. Bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the potato is tender 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Add tomato, increase heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes.

8. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and serve.

Chickpea & Greens Curry Soup

Chickpea & Greens Curry Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  1 teaspoon ground turmeric

       1/2 teaspoon chili powder

     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

   1 large onion, chopped
1/2 inch of fresh ginger, finely chopped

     2 cups chopped fresh spinach or beet greens

     2 cups chickpeas, cooked

     1 medium tomato, chopped

    4 cups vegetable broth 

2 cups coconut milk

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

       8 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, divided, for garnish

1.  Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.  Add curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, chili powder, nutmeg, onion, and ginger and gently stir.

3.  Add spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
4.  Stir in chickpeas, tomato, broth, and coconut milk.

5.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour, skimming as necessary.

6.  Add cilantro, and garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt.

Vegetarian Harira

It is starting to get colder in the upper northern hemisphere.  It is the perfect time for some comforting, hearty soups.  Just imagine yourself after a hard day of work or shoveling snow and coming inside to a piping hot bowl of soup, a hot cocoa or tea, a roaring fire, and your favorite critter snuggled in a warm blanket. 

Vegetarian Harira

4 cups garbanzo beans
2 cups vegetable stock
6 cups water
2 large bunches fresh cilantro, chopped
2 large bunches fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 bunches fresh mint, chopped
1 pound pumpkin, cut and seeded
1 pound zucchini, cut and seeded
2 ½ pounds tomatoes, chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 mild onions, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cup cold water
4 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

1.  Put the garbanzo beans in a large pan with the vegetable stock and water.

2.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the garbanzo beans are soft.

3.  Add the cubed pumpkin, zucchini and tomato to the stock and simmer.

4.  Heat some oil in a pan and sweat off the onions and spices (turmeric, cinnamon,

     cumin, pepper, and ginger) for 8 minutes.

5.  Add more oil and simmer the mix, add the flour and simmer for 2 minutes.

6.  Add 2-3 ladles of soup broth into the spicy onion pan, stirring constantly, which will

     help thicken the soup.

7.  Add the onion mix back into the pan of stock and vegetables, stirring gently for 2-3

     minutes to get rid of the "floury" taste.

8.  Add the fresh lemon and lime juice and the chopped fresh herbs and season well.

9.  Serve hot.  

10. Garnish with minced cilantro, Italian parsley, and/or mint.

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

1

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Coarse kosher salt

1. Combine chickpeas, basil, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in medium bowl.

2. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly.

3. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Spicy Sweet Curry Hummus

Spicy Sweet Curry Hummus

3

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 cooked medium sweet potato

¼ cup olive oil

Juice of one lime

1 ½ teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon of fresh ginger or candied ginger

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vegetable broth

1. Add garlic and salt to food processor.

2. Pulse to chop the garlic into very small pieces.

3. Add the chickpeas, sweet potato, olive oil, and lime juice.

4. Process for 30 seconds, then add curry powder, ginger, and broth.

5. Process for 1 ½ minutes.

6. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

7. If you would like the hummus a bit thinner, you can add 1 or 2 additional tablespoons of broth.

Farro and Chickpea Soupsou

Farro and Chickpea Soup

Farro is an ancient grain that is used in Italian dishes like salad and soups.  It is chewy even after cooking for awhile in a soup.  I hope you like this recipe and barley can be substituted if farro is hard to find.  Enjoy!

1 ½ cups farro, soaked for an hour or longer in cold water

tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely diced

2 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

3 bay leaves

1 garlic clove, peeled

a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind

2 cups of chopped tomatoes

6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups chickpeas cooked

2 cups of Swiss chard

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon minced rosemary

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Drain the farro.

2. Heat the oil in a wide soup pot and add the onion, celery, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaves.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the garlic, cheese rind, drained farro, tomatoes, and stock.

5. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and simmer until the farro is tender about 20 minutes.

6. Add the chickpeas and Swiss chard.

&.  Cook another 5-10 minutes.

7. Taste for salt and season with pepper.

8. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle over some olive oil, add the rosemary, and grate in a little cheese.