Sunday, February 22, 2009

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

I was beginning to think that my habit of buying food magazines is getting a bit excessive so I pledged to try at least one recipe from each magazine I buy.  I must confess, my record has not been perfect.  I am trying.  I have tried a record-breaking TWO recipes from the February 2009 issue of Bon Appétit.  I was a little skeptical about trying a second vegetarian recipe from this issue since the first one (Panang Tofu Curry) was disappointing.  This recipe was a pleasant surprise and it is definitely a keeper for us.  We used the whole bag of coleslaw mix and double the quantity of dressing and serve it as a side salad.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 white or yellow corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce

Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash.  Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat.  Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add tortillas in single layer.  Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute.  Fold tacos in half.  Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.  Fill tacos with eta and slaw.  Pass hot sauce along side.

Serves 4 (if served with Mexican rice.  Serves 2-3 with extra coleslaw salad, no rice).

Braised Lamb and Lentils

One weekend we were searching for black lentils/black gram to make the Indian dish kali dal but made the error of bringing home French du Puy lentils instead (hey, they are both black... and in the absence of real black lentils at the store, we thought we could substitute with du Puy lentils).  In any case, we later found black lentils proper.  Now, what to do with the du Puy lentils besides making lots of lentil salads... This recipe appeared a couple of weeks later and we are glad to have tried it.  I probably will not make this dish again at the end of August in an apartment kitchen with no air conditioning but now is a perfect time -- snow is falling outside and an icy draft coming in through the windows...

Ingredients:
6 lamb shanks
1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 1/4 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups du Puy or regular green lentils, rinsed and drained
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F.  Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with half of the salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook lamb shanks in batches for 3 to 5 minutes, turning often, until browned on all sides.  Remove shanks to a roasting pan and arranging in a single layer.

Reduce heat to medium and add onion to oil remaining in skillet.  Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 6 minutes, until onion is golden brown.  Stir in 2 cups stock, the wine, tomato paste, garlic rosemary, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and remaining salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to scrape any brown bits from bottom of skillet.

Pour contents of skillet over lamb shanks.  Cover roasting pan tightly with foil.  Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Turn lamb shanks over.  Stir lentils into cooking juices in roasting pan.

Cover roasting pan with foil, and return to oven for 1 hour, until lamb shanks and lentils are very tender.  (Recipe can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and reheated, covered, in a 350F oven for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.)

If the lentil mixture seems to thick, ad a little of the remaining beef stock, heating it before adding to roasting pan.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Spoon lamb shanks, lentils and cooking juices into shallow serving dish, garnish with fresh rosemary and serve.

Serve with crusty baguette/bread.
Serves 6.

From The Globe and Mail Weekend Style Section Weekend Menu by Lucy Waverman August 23, 2008.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Cod with Spicy Chickpeas

The spicy chickpeas are good on their own with rice.  I do not have any Indian curry paste so I have been making this recipe with Thai red or green curry paste.  I have also replace the chickpeas with white beans -- works just as well.

Cod:
1 tablespoon Indian curry paste
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 6-ounce black cod fillets
Salt to taste

Chickpea curry:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated ginger root
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon Indian curry paste, or 2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 19-ounce (540-mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups baby spinach

Preheat oven to 450F.  Combine curry paste, ginger and oil.  Brush over cod, season with salt.

Heat butter in skillet over medium heat.  Add ginger root, garlic and curry paste and saute for 1 minute or until softened.  Add cumin, coriander and turmeric and saute for 30 seconds.  Add coconut milk and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add chickpeas and spinach and cook together for 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted and chickpeas are heated through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place chickpea mixture in ovenproof baking dish and nestle cod on top.  Bake for 12 minutes or until fish has white juices and is just cooked through.

Serve with rice.  Serves 4.
From Globe and Mail Saturday Style Section Weekend Menu by Lucy Waterman, November 8, 2008