RECIPE: Chickpea, Spinach, Red Pepper and Harissa Hummus Dip

I think this is the best "hummus" I've ever made!   And, it was easy!

Wikipedia defines hummus as "a Middle Eastern dip made with cooked mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic," which my "hummus" certainly is but I also, almost always, add additional spices and cooked vegetables - arugula, roasted broccoli, eggplant, tomato paste, pesto, Thai chile paste, or curry.  

There are several other recipes for hummus on this blog: parsnip, chard stalk, and super smooth with multiple seasoning options.  Recently, I've been seasoning it with berbere, an Ethopian spice mixture, but my FAVORITE flavor is spinach, roasted red peppers, and harissa. 

Pimiento peppers make the tastiest roasted peppers so, this summer, my husband grew them for me.  I roasted them, peeled them, and then froze them. If you can't get pimientos, use red bell peppers.

In the fall, when the farm store is full of spinach, I blanch, chop, and freeze as much as I can!  So, for me, this comes together with things I have in my freezer.  If you plan ahead, it can for you, too!

To make harissa, I use hot peppers that I've dehydrated and ground.  For this recipe, I used cayenne, which is about 35,000 on the Skoville scale, or middle of the road heat-wise.  If you can't tolerate spicy, make it with sweet paprika so you'll get all the other flavors in the condiment.

One thing I did differently this time was to use the entire lemon pulp, not just the juice.  I don't know if that's why it tasted so good but I'll be doing that from now one since there's less waste.

Chickpea, Spinach, Red Pepper and Harissa Hummus Dip

Makes about 3 cups.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole organic lemons, scrubbed, zested, peeled and seeds removed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. well-stirred tahini
• 1 29-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and 1/2 cup of liquid reserved
• 4 t. harissa made with cayenne
• 1-2 t. himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 4oz blanched spinach (weigh after blanching and squeezing out liquid), chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Squeeze the lemons over the bowl on a food processor or blender, then drop in the pulp.

Add the minced garlic and let it sit in the juice for 5-10 minutes to tame the flavor.

Add the tahini, chickpeas, 1/2 cup of chickpea liquid, 2 teaspoons harissa, and 1 t. salt.  Process for a looooong time, until it's very smooth.

Taste and add more harissa and/or salt.  I used 4 t. harissa because we like spicy.

Add the roasted red peppers and spinach and pulse until distributed.

Taste and adjust harissa and salt.

Stir in the lemon zest and enjoy.   

I love this with sliced carrots.  My husband uses Mary's Gone Crackers or cassava chips.

RECIPE: Suliban Swamp Slug With Entrails

We hosted a Star Trek party last weekend!  We've done that before, many years ago, and we used some of the recipes from our earlier parties.  This is one of them.  

It's cream cheese seasoned with garlic and herbs, and then formed into a snake-like slug pattern with a center of thinly sliced spicy roasted red peppers.  When you cut into the slug, you expose the peppers, which can be mixed into the cheese or not, depending on each diner's preference.  

We served it with sliced watermelon radishes, plantain chips, flax seed crackers, and cassava chips.

 Suliban Swamp Slug with Entrails

Serves 10-12

We set a stainless tray in the center of a large white plastic sheet pan, formed the slug on the stainless tray, and then surrounded it with the dippers.  We also provided several serving knives which are not pictured above.  

In the past, I made this with cream cheese, but now I use our farm's Quark cheese which is creamier and looser than cream cheese, so I drained it overnight to make it stiff enough to hold its shape at room temperature.  It's winter, so I used the herbs I had frozen last summer. 

This is sort-of an un-recipe, because people's tolerance for herbs and garlic varies.  If you like highly seasoned food, use the larger quantities.  We made our slug with a highly seasoned head, an unseasoned tail, and a medium-seasoned middle.   You can see the transition in the photo.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Quark cheese
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped dill
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 - 1/2 cups chopped scallion tops
• 1-3 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
• 1/2 a small red onion for the 'spines'
• 2 small scallions for the 'eyes'
• 2 peppercorns for the 'eyeballs'
  
• 8-16 ounces roasted red peppers
• 1-2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 T. honey
• 1-2 t. cayenne pepper
• Himalayan pink salt
• Chips to serve it with. 

Instructions

Drain the cheese. I placed it in a muslin cloth and hung it over a strainer set over a bowl to catch the whey.  After 24 hours, about 2 cups of whey had drained out. 

Quark draining - before and after

 

Thinly slice the peppers and mix them with the cayenne, balsamic and honey.  Taste and adjust seasoning - it should be sweet-sour-spicy.  Add salt to taste and set aside.  You can keep this in the fridge for a few days for the flavors to penetrate the peppers.

Roasted red peppers, sliced thinly

 

Mix the drained cheese with the garlic, sliced scallions, herbs, and salt to taste.

Minced dill and parsley

Mixing the seasonings into the cheese.

 

To form the slug, spread a small amount of the cheese on your serving platter in the shape you want the slug to take.  We made the tail narrow and the head wide.

Deposit the sliced peppers in the middle of this shape to form the 'entrails'.

Arranging the entrails on the slug template!

 

Using gloved hands, form the cheese over the peppers into a slug shape.  

Cut the root ends off the two scallions, and slice off a 1-2" piece of the white part.  I think 1" would look better than the 2" pieces I used!  Push a peppercorn into the smaller end, and push the larger ends into the 'head' of your slug.

Cut the red onion into triangular pieces and arrange them down the back of the slug.

Red onion spines and green onion eyes!

 

Stab your slug to expose the entrails, so people know they're there!

Spread your dippers around the slug and serve!  We arranged the radish next to the slug so it wouldn't cause the chips to get soggy.

 

The next morning, when I took photos before starting to clean up, this is all that was left:

RECIPE: Cold Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Pepper Puree

This soup is so pretty - creamy white with a red swirl - that I've served it as an appetizer at Christmastime.  Because it's served cold, it's also a great make-ahead starter for any 'company' meal, and it's wonderful when the weather is really hot because it's RAW, so all you need to prepare it is a blender.

This recipe can NOT be doubled because it won't fit in the blender, but I will often make two batches (to use up the whole cauliflower) and then combine them..

I normally serve it with roasted red pepper puree, but tonight I had mine with leftover lovage oil (it's also good with pesto or pistou), and my husband had his with chili orange oil. 

In the photo below, I served it with carrot salad with harissa and mint haloumi, and cucumber salad, for a cool meal on a hot day.

Cold Cauliflower Soup with Red Pepper Puree

Makes about 4 cups

• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cups cashews
• 2 t. onion powder, or 2 T. onion flakes
• 1 clove garlic, grated, or 1 t. garlic powder
  
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 T. honey
• pinch white pepper
• Himalayan pink salt to taste

For serving: Roasted Pepper Puree (see recipe below)

Put the cashews into your blender jar and add the water.  Let them soak a few minutes to soften, while you break up the cauliflower. 

Remove the stem and all the leaves from the cauliflower, then remove any brown or discolored spots.  Chop it up and measure out 2 cups.  Add to the blender jar along with all the other ingredients (except the red pepper puree which you will use when you serve it).

Blend until smooth.  I used to make this in a regular (Waring) blender and it seemed like it took FOREVER to get creamy.  I had to stop it periodically to scrape down the sides.  It did eventually get there, though, so if you don't have a high power blender, just hang in there.

In a high powered blender, like a Vitamix or Blendtec, it shouldn't take more than 2 minutes.  If you press the "soup" button, it will heat the soup, and I prefer to eat this cold, so I just use the 'puree' button.  Stop once and scrape down the sides.

Pour into soup cups or bowls, drizzle with red pepper puree (or lovage oil, or pesto, or pistou, or chili orange oil, and serve.  (For Valentines day, pour a dot of red pepper puree in the center and then use a toothpick to drag out a heart shape.)

Roasted Pepper Puree

Makes 1/2 cup

• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers with their liquor*
• 1/4 cup safflower oil or light cream (I've used both, but the photo shows oil)
• 1 t. lemon juice
• pinch cayenne powder
• pinch himalayan pink salt

This is much easier to make if you have a small jar that your immersion blender head JUST fits into.  I use a Weck terrine jar. 

Combine all ingredients in a 1/2-pint jar and use an immersion blender to create a puree.  Do not over-blend or the EVOO will become bitter.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any large pieces.

If you don't have an immersion blender, use a coil whisk to puree the peppers, and then gradually blend in the oil/cream until you have an emulsion.  The quantity is too small for either a blender or a food processor.

* If you roast your own peppers, you can make this with any color.  I have made it with yellow peppers, orange peppers, and red peppers, and then layered them on top of the soup.  The photo below is from a party we hosted many years ago where this was offered as a serve-yourself appetizer.

RECIPE: How to roast bell peppers.

Yes, there are many tutorials online on how to roast bell peppers...but, in my opinion, they do it the hard way.  Leaving the peppers whole while you roast them means they will char unevenly.  You will also have to turn them multiple times to char all sides.  Once charred, when you clean them they will make a mess, the seeds will stick to everything, and it will take you longer than it needs to.  

 

Here is my easy way.

 

Original recipe: How to Roast Peppers

Easy Way to Roast Bell Peppers

Makes: as many roasted peppers as you have available

You can roast any color of bell pepper.  You can also roast poblano, anaheim, hatch, wax, banana, and even jalapeno.  For this tutorial I am using red bell peppers, my favorite.  I also roast poblano and banana peppers every year

 

Remove the top and bottom of the pepper as well as all the seeds and pith.  (Use the tops and bottoms to make bell pepper powder.)  You now have a tube of bell pepper.  

 

Bell pepper with top, bottom and seeds removed.

Make a cut down one side and flatten the tube into a sheet. 

 

Place this on a sheet pan.  If parts of the pepper are damaged, remove and discard those pieces.

 

Continue will the remaining peppers until your sheet pan is full:

 

Flattened red bell peppers on a sheet pan.

 

Broil until the peppers are evenly charred.  In my oven, it takes 10 minutes.  Yours may take more or less.  Watch them closely.

 

Perfectly charred red bell peppers!

 

Remove the sheet pan and cover the peppers with a towel.

 

When the peppers are cool, peel off the charred skin.  

 

Roasted red bell peppers and the skins that were removed

 

You can now freeze them, or use them in any of these recipes!

 

 

 

RECIPE: Queso Fundito with Chorizo and Roasted Peppers

Queso fundito is one of my favorite things to order in a Mexican restaurant, but now that I know the dangers of the high amounts of omega-6 in pork fat, I'm reluctant to order pork in any restaurant.  Using chorizo made from low PUFA meat, I can make this treat at home!  

 

It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, though.  Sourcing the right cheese - chihuahua - proved to be a problem, and the alternatives suggested  - monterey jack, manchego, and Oaxaca - didn't seem like they would melt properly.  In my first attempt I used three small containers and cooked each variety of cheese separately to see how they react.  None of them was perfect: oaxaca didn't have much flavor, manchego didn't melt well, and jack cheese was too rubbery, but I suspected that combining them might give me the results I wanted.

Three different cheese experiment

My second attempt was successful - combining all three mimicked the recommended chihuahua cheese perfectly.

Queso Fundito with Chorizo and Peppers   

Serves 2-3

You can make this with onions, peppers, chorizo or a combination.   I like to put the peppers and chorizo in the cheese, and use the onions as a garnish.  If you prefer, you can saute the onions with the chorizo.

During the summer, when peppers are abundant, I roast them, peel them, and then freeze them.  I do this with red bell peppers, red pimiento peppers, and poblano peppers.  Having them in the freezer makes this meal easy to prepare.

I also pressure can chorizo in pint jars, another way to make the meal easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• For the fundito:
• 1 cup grated manchego cheese
• 1 cup grated oaxaca cheese
• 1 cup grated monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese
• 3/4 cup chorizo
• 1/4 cup roasted peppers, either poblano or bell
• Garnish:
• 1/2 cup minced red or green onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 cup guacamole (I used pea guacamole) or sliced avocado 
• 1 small jalapeno, minced 
• flour tortillas 
• optional: 1/4 cup roasted peppers 
• optional: sour cream
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

For this recipe, you will need an 8" ovenproof skillet, or a regular skillet and an 8" cazuela or ovenproof baking dish.

Preheat the oven (I used the toaster oven) to 250F.  Wrap the tortillas in parchment, then in foil, and place them on the bottom rack to warm them.  Place the other rack close to the broiler.

If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, and will be using a cazuela or another ovenproof baking dish, put it in the oven with the tortillas to warm up.

Heat a small 8" ovenproof skillet over medium-high (I used cast iron).  When it's hot, add the chorizo and saute until browned and bubbling.  Some people remove the fat, I prefer to leave it in as it has a lot of flavor.

Turn the heat off, distribute the peppers on top of the chorizo, then sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers.  (If you didn't use an ovenproof skillet, transfer the chorizo to the cazuela then top with peppers and cheese.)  Some people reserve a little of the chorizo to garnish the dish when it comes out of the oven.

Put the skillet/cazuela in the oven and BROIL for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly brown.  The heat from the chorizo will melt the cheese from the bottom.  Don't overcook or it will become chewy.

Serve immediately with warm tortillas, guacamole, cilantro, minced onion, and jalapeno.

You can also serve it as a dip, with corn chips, but we prefer soft flour tortillas. 

NOTE: in the photo above, I made a double recipe and transferred half the chorizo to a cazuela, leaving the other half in the cast iron.  I loaded both vessels with peppers and cheese, broiled the cazuela, then broiled the cast iron while we ate from the cazuela.  You could also make this in individual cazuelas and let each diner chose what to put in their cheese.  My husband likes more peppers than I do, so I serve extra on the side.

When we finished the cazuela, we were full, so once the cast iron skillet was cool, I covered it and put it in the fridge.  The next day, I heated it on medium-low, without stirring, until the cheese was bubbling.  It was just as good this way, as it was the day before! 

To eat: I put the fundito onto a tortilla and eat it with a knife and fork.  My husband scoops bite size pieces onto the tortilla and eats with his hands.  I think in the past, I would tear small pieces of tortilla, scoop the fundito onto them, and then pop them in my mouth.  It's messy no matter how you chose to eat it!  

Queso fundito, pea guacamole, minced red onion

Garnish for queso fundito: roasted poblanos, cilantro, red onion

 

RECIPE: Roasted Red Pepper, Garlic, and Balsamic Butter

This 'sauce' was voted the best of the bunch at our Christmas Raclette Dinner 2018  (in 2016, the best one was the Curry Sauce).

Original recipe: Roasted red pepper, garlic, and balsamic butter 

Roasted Red Pepper and Balsamic Butter

Makes 2 cups

1 c. sweet butter
6 cloves roasted garlic
2 T. minced roasted red peppers
1 T. balsamic vinegar*
1 T. chopped fresh parsley (I used frozen)
1 T. honey
1/4 - 1/2 t. himalayan pink salt

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and process until blended, scraping sides as needed.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

* I use Guerzoni balsamic which is fine for salad but isn't as thick as I would like for recipes like this one so I reduce it (over medium heat) by 50% .  I buy the vinegar by the case and reduce one bottle.

RECIPE: Moroccan One Pot Beef and Pasta with Harissa

You can make this entirely with farm products!  I made this almost exactly as written and it was delicious.  I used celeriac instead of celery, and cut the harissa down to 2 T. because I would be serving it to a friend who can't eat super hot food.  We served extra harissa on the side for whoever wanted it.

Original Recipe:  One pot pasta with spicy harissa beef

Moroccan One Pot Beef and Pasta with Harissa

Serves 4

1/4 c. finely chopped celeriac or celeriac pulp
1/2 c. finely chopped carrot or carrot pulp
1 c. finely chopped onion
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. EVOO plus additional for serving
1 pound ground beef
18oz jar diced tomatoes (or 1 quart home canned)
12oz jar organic roasted red peppers (or 1/2 pint frozen)
2 T. harissa plus additional for serving
3 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground coriander
2 t. paprika
Opt (the original recipe didn't call for these but since I cut back on the harissa I added them to ramp up the Moroccan flavor):

• 1/2 t. ground fennel
• 1/4 t. ground caraway
• 1/4 t. dried moroccan mint
• 1/8 t. ground anise
• 1/8 t. ground allspice
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

4 c. meat broth or water (I used veal broth)
12 oz elbows or other short pasta (I used Tresomega Quinoa-Rice-Amaranth elbows)
3 scallions, chopped
1 T. minced mint leaves (I used frozen)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the EVOO and ground beef and saute until it's well browned and sticking to the bottom of the pan, 10-12 minutes.  Season with salt.

Add the celeriac, carrot, onion and garlic.  Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.  Season with salt.

As the vegetables cook, drain the roasted red peppers. Puree them and the diced tomatoes in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Set aside.

Add the harissa and spices to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the tomato-roasted red pepper puree, the broth, and the dry pasta.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, make sure the pasta is submerged, cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes.   Stir to prevent sticking, replace the lid, and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the pasta is cooked.

Serve drizzled with additional EVOO, and topped with the scallions and mint.  Offer additional harissa for those who like super spicy!

RECIPE: Muhammara Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Spread

This unusual roasted-red-pepper-and-walnut concoction can be used as a dip, a sandwich spread, a pasta/pizza sauce, or a vegetable garnish!   I've wanted to make it for sooo long, and finally have all the required ingredients, like homemade pomegranate molasses and organic EV Spanish olive oil.

Original recipes (I combined them): Ottolenghi's Muhammara, Mediteranean Muhammara, Food52Muhammara

Muhammara Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip 

Makes 4 cups

4 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded (OR one 7oz jar roasted piquillo peppers )
1 c. breadcrumbs (pulse dry/toasted bread in food processor until fine crumbs form)
8 oz walnut halves, toasted (or almonds, or cashews, or a combination)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated (might be good w black garlic?)
1/2 c. pomegranate molasses
1 T. balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice)
1/4 c. tomato paste
2 t. himalayan pink salt
2 t. ground toasted cumin
2 t. smoked paprika
2 t. sumac
1/2 t. cayenne or Aleppo pepper
1 c. Spanish olive oil, divided

1. Add the breadcrumbs and walnuts to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until the walnuts are finely chopped. 

2. Add 1/2 the olive oil and the remaining ingredients and process to a puree.  If it's too thick, add the remaining olive oil 2 T at a time.   The dip will be smoother if you use a high-speed blender.

3. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Ways to Use Muhammara (Pinterest)
 

RECIPE: Super Smooth Hummus with Multiple Seasoning Options

Ugh.  We've given up mayonnaise.  

Or, rather, we've greatly reduced our consumption, so we needed to find an alternative.  Hummus doesn't work as an alternative for ALL the places we use mayo, but it can be used on hard boiled eggs, as a dip for veggies, and thinned with water or EVOO as a salad dressing.  

There are several recipes on this site for hummus made withOUT chickpeas, so I thought I'd post a recipe for traditional hummus.  The best hummus I've ever had was made by our farmer's son, but I haven't tested that recipe yet so I can't post it.  His recipe is made with dried chickpeas, and I needed something faster, using canned chickpeas.

I've researched the cost of dried organic chickpeas vs Eden Foods canned chickpeas and the price is nearly the same so why not let someone else do the work?  This recipe uses the large 28oz can so I can split one batch into two and season both halves differently.  I will often double the recipe and make 4 flavors at once.

The recipe I started with (link below) recommends using freshly squeezed lemon juice, which would obviously be best.  When I don't have fresh lemons on hand I use bottled juice but I DON'T SHAKE THE BOTTLE BEFORE MEASURING.  The stuff on the bottom of the jar is what's harshly flavored.  

I also used half the amount of tahini she called for - the organic tahini I prefer is too expensive to use a whole jar for one recipe! Feel free to use more if you can afford to.

Hummus a wonderful dip for carrots, which are abundant in our farm store during the winter....

Original recipe: Best hummus recipe

Super Smooth Hummus with Multiple Seasoning Options

makes 4 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 28oz can chickpeas
• 1 t. baking soda 
• 1/2 c. lemon juice
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 t. himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 c. - 3/4 c. tahini (I used 1/2 cup, you can use more if you like)
  
• 2-4 T. ice water
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• Za'atar, sumac, or paprika
  

SEASONING (one or more of the following):

• 1/4 c. roasted red peppers
• 1 T. harissa  plus 1 T. lemon juice
• 5 t. berbere seasoning plus 2 T. lemon juice
  
• 1/4 c. minced fresh jalapeno or 1 t. dried and ground
• 1/4 c. sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 c. kalamata olives
• 1/4 c. cilantro plus 1 T. lemon juice 
• 1/4 c. roasted garlic

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium saucepan, add the chickpeas (I don't drain them), enough water to cover them by 2-3 inches, and the baking soda.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-20 minutes until they're easy to crush against the side of the pot.  Don't overcook them - when they start to fall apart they'll be impossible to drain! 

Drain them in a fine mesh strainer and then briefly rinse them under cold water.  Set aside to cool.

While the chickpeas are cooking, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or high-powered blender.  Process until the garlic is finely minced and then let the mixture marinate for at least 10 minutes.   

While the chickpeas are cooling, add the tahini to the lemon juice mixture and blend until thick and creamy.  Scrape the sides as necessary.  

Drizzle in 2 T. ice water and process.  The mixture should turn several shades lighter.  You may need to add an additional 2 T. water if your tahini is very thick.  Scrape the sides as necessary.  I used 4 T. water.

Add the chickpeas and cumin and process until super smooth, 2-3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides.  If you are NOT going to add additional seasoning, add the olive oil and process briefly - too much processing will damage the olive oil and make it bitter so you always want to add it last.

Taste and adjust seasoning - you may need additional salt or lemon juice.

Sprinkle with za'atar, sumac or paprika and serve!

 

If you are going to add additional seasoning, don't add the EVOO yet, you always want to add that last.

I divide the hummus into 2 batches and season each one differently.  Our favorites are harissa, berbere and roasted red pepper.  The photo above is harissa AND roasted red pepper!  Be creative...

Add your seasoning, process to blend, then taste and adjust salt and lemon.  

Add the olive oil last and process briefly - too much processing will damage the oil and make it bitter.

RECIPE: Belgian Endive with Celeriac Puree, Walnuts, and Red Pepper

Belgian endive is one of my FAVORITE winter appetizers!  This recipe was adapted to use either celeriac or parsnips, both of which are available in our farm store over the winter.  Since I try and use farm products as much as possible, I also substituted roasted red peppers (which I store in the freezer) for fresh.  (There is no endive in the farm store at the moment so I will update the photo later with one of my own.)

Original Recipe: Endive, Cannellini and Walnut Appetizers

Belgian Endive with Celeriac, Walnuts, and Red Pepper

Makes 30

Tikkido's Endive and Walnut Appetizers

• 2 c. celeriac puree (or parsnip puree)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 T. EVOO
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 
  
• 30 Belgian endive leaves
• 1/4 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/4 c. roasted red bell pepper or sun dried tomatoes, chopped (or fresh, if you prefer)

Puree the celeriac, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender or food processor.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spoon into endive leaves, top with walnuts and red pepper or sun dried tomato.

RECIPE: Roasted Tomato Soup

My husband proclaimed this was the best tomato soup he's ever eaten!  It's also the easiest tomato soup I've ever made,  MUCH easier than the recipe for my favorite tomato soup (which I will post soon).

Original Recipe: Tyler Florence Roasted Tomato Soup

The first time I made this soup it was late at night when the tomatoes came out of the oven and I was too tired to finish the recipe so I popped them back in the oven and left them there overnight.  The next morning, they were beautifully caramelized and made the most amazing soup!  It was also much easier doing all the prep on one day and finishing the soup the next.

I have successfully canned this soup (in a PRESSURE CANNER) but need to leave a good 2 - 3" headroom.  I no longer can this soup.. See my note below.

The soup is delicious with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Roasted Tomato Soup w Pistou Cream 

Serves 4 

Ingredients

2.5 pounds fresh tomatoes (regular, roma, or cherry or a combination)
6 cloves garlic peeled
1 medium onion or 1 large leek or a combination of the two, sliced
1/2 c. ghee, melted
Salt and pepper (I use cayenne)
1/4 c. demiglace*, OR 1/4 c roasted peppers, OR 2 T. balsamic, OR 1 T. pesto BE CREATIVE!
2 bay leaves or 1/4t. ground bay leaves
4 T. butter or ghee, softened

For serving:
1/4 c pistou (optional)
3/4 c. heavy cream (my husband prefers it plain, without cream or pistou)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450.

Wash the tomatoes, core them and slice in half.  Spread the tomatoes, onions and garlic in a baking dish.  Drizzle with 1/2 c. ghee and salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 minutes or until caramelized.  Open oven door to release some of the heat, close it back up and leave the pan in the oven overnight.

before roasting and after caramelization

Transfer everything** to a blender (yes, including the skins and seeds), add the demiglace, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and butter/ghee.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  

In my blender (a Blendtec) I press the "soup" button and, after 3 minutes of blending on high, the soup is smooth and warm enough to eat.  If your isn't warm, heat it gently on the stove (it will sputter!).

**The tomatoes will exude a lot of liquid while they roast.  The more of this liquid you use, the thinner the soup will be. If you use it all, you may need to blend it in two batches.  If I plan to serve the soup immediately, I use all the liquid.  If I'm going to store it, I have serious space limitations so I don't use it all, which makes a thicker soup.  When I reheat it, I thin it with either milk, cream, broth, or water. 

For Serving:  LIGHTLY whip the cream until it just starts to thicken, stir in the pistou (don't stir too vigorously or it will turn to butter!) and drop several tablespoons onto each bowl of soup.  You can stir it in if you prefer but I like the juxtaposition of the hot soup with the cold cream.

(I have also eaten the leftovers cold, sort of like gazpacho, sprinkled with basil chiffonade.)

* when I make this for vegetarians I use 2-4 T. roasted red peppers instead of demiglace.  
(I've never tried roasting the peppers with the tomatoes because I always remove the skins and seeds from the peppers.  If you try it, please LMK how it turns out!)

I have also made this without the demiglace, and without the additional butter, and using ghee instead of the additional butter, and it is fine both ways.  It's richer with the additional butter/ghee, but if you're watching your calories it's still delicious without them.  You shouldn't skimp on the ghee used when they're roasting, though. 

Bulk Batch:

4 large onions, sliced 1/4" thick
35 medium tomatoes or 25 large ones
3-4 heads garlic
1 c. ghee
3/4 c demiglace (I've used both veal, chicken, and vegetarian - use whatever you have)
3 t. salt
3/4 c butter
1.5 t. jalapeno or cayenne powder
1.5 t. powdered bay leaf

Preheat oven to 450 (convection 425)
Arrange onion in large roasting pan
Core tomatoes and arrange them, cored-side down, over the onions
Put one garlic clove in each of the spaces between the tomatoes
Melt the ghee and spoon it over all making sure you get some on each tomato and garlic
Roast for 25 minutes.
Rotate the pan and roast for another 25 minutes.
Turn off the heat and leave in oven until cool.

In three equal batches, adding 1/4 c butter, 1/4 cup demiglace, 1 t. salt, 1/2 t. jalapeno and 1/2 t. bay leaf to each batch, puree in high-speed blender for 3 minutes until smooth.

I no longer can this -  I had to leave too much headspace to get the jars to seal, and they took up too much space on my shelf.  I now store the jars in the freezer. 

Freeze, or transfer to quart canning jars and process 90 minutes at 10# pressure (use THIS GUIDE to adjust for your altitude.  Yes, the link is for canning meat, and that is the correct one to use because of the fat and onions in the recipe.) 
Do NOT use the pressure/time for canning tomatoes!.  
Pressure can only!!   DO NOT WATER-BATH CAN!  (Seriously, you can die if you do!)


35 medium tomatoes made 7 quarts, each one filled with 600ml or 6 quarts filled with 800ml.  
25 large tomatoes, pictured below, made 12 quarts!  

The photos below are from my last bulk batch
The pan is a huge 18" x 12":

Onions, cored tomatoes, garlic before roasting.

After roasting 1 hour, then resting in warm oven for 4 hours!

RECIPE: Green Beans in Garlic Red Pepper Sauce

This has been a mast year for green beans!  I've made this recipe in the past using roasted red peppers.  A few days ago, right after I made the red bell pepper powder, I decided to make this recipe using that powder, and it was both delicious and easy so I'm sharing it here.  I served it with Chapli Kebab and long-grain rice.  My husband had three servings!

 

Green Beans in Garlic Red Pepper Sauce

Green beans in garlic red pepper sauce

Serves 4  

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
  
• 2 t. butter or ghee
• 1 garlic clove grated on a microplane
  
• 1 T. red bell pepper powder
• 1/2 t. hot pepper powder (optional)
  
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 t. himalayan pink salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 7 minutes (any longer and they will lose their green color)
2. Drain using a colander.
3. In the pot where you cooked the beans, melt the butter or ghee over medium heat.
4. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.  
5. Add the pepper powder(s) and allow to hydrate in the fat for a minutes or two.
6. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer, stirring to incorporate the pepper.  (Add additional cream if you prefer a more creamy sauce)
   
7. Add the beans back to the pot and stir into the cream.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

RECIPE: GF Vegetable Pancakes - Carrot, Arugula, Kale, Chard, Etc...

I have made these carrot pancakes many times, and I've added different vegetables to them based on what I have on hand.  They are so easy, and so versatile!  

My husband's favorite is arugula, red onion and garlic, my favorite is red chard, leek, and garlic. We both love the curried scallion version which seems to go well with everything from smoked salmon to chicken salad.

The ones I made with baby kale, garlic scapes, and onion were 'toothsome' which I liked, but my husband didn't, so experiment with your favorite vegetables.  

We eat these 'plain', and also use them as a base for garnishes like arugula and smoked salmon (shown below), or salami, cheese and tomatoes (shown at the bottom).

 GF Vegetable Pancakes - Carrot, Arugula, Kale, Chard, Etc...

Makes 30 small pancakes.  Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 7 SMALL eggs, or 6 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, beaten to blend (the extra yolk adds tenderness)
• 3 CUPS minced vegetables* (see below for flavor suggestions)
  
• 6 T. chopped herbs (I used frozen), or onions
  
• 6 T. flour (I've used quinoa, rice, and chickpea - use whatever you tolerate)
• 1-2 teaspoons himalayan pink salt**
• OPTIONAL: 1 t. cayenne or black pepper
  
• 6 T. ghee, lard or tallow

Instructions:

Mix the vegetables with the herbs and flour.  Add the eggs and salt and mix to combine.  Set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.  (I have let it set as long as 2 hours).

Kale pancakes frying in an omelet pan

In a shallow frying pan (I use an omelet pan) melt 1 T fat on medium.  Using a tablespoon, drop the carrot mixture into the hot fat.  Cook until medium brown, about 1 minute, then flip and cook another minute.  Remove to paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining batter, adding fat as needed so they don't stick (you need quite a bit of fat to prevent sticking - don't be stingy!).

Serve with mayonnaise, ranch dressing, sour cream or yogurt, alongside a green salad.

Kale pancakes with pimiento berbere mayo

*How to prepare the vegetables:

These pancakes cook very quickly, so whatever vegetables you use should be finely chopped, or partially cooked.  When I use root vegetables like carrots or parsnips, I mince them in the food processor.  When I use hardy greens like kale or chard I blanch or saute them first, and then chop.  If I add onions, I either saute them, or mince them.  Tender greens like arugula I just slice thinly.

WE like these better when I include a little carrot with the other ingredients.  

**SALT: When I use root vegetables, I use 2 t. salt.  When I use only greens, then 1 t. salt is enough.  The first time you make these, fry one, taste it, and adjust the salt to your preference.

Flavor suggestions:

• BEST YET: 3-4 c. scallion white + green) sliced 1/8" thick, 1/2 c. grated zucchini, 1 T. curry powder (my favorite is Pure Indian Food's), 1 T. minced parsley
  
• 1 c. minced carrots, 2 c. thinly sliced arugula, 1/4 c. minced red onion, 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 c. minced carrots, 2 c. blanched red chard, 1 cup sauteed leeks, 2 cloves garlic, 1 t. cayenne
• 1 c. minced carrots, 2 c. blanched kale, 1/2 cup sauteed onions, 1/2 c. garlic scapes, 1 t. cayenne
• 3 cups of scallion greens, 1 T. black sesame seeds or black onion seeds
• 1 c. minced carrots, 2 c. blanched spinach, 1/2 c. roasted red peppers OR sun dried tomatoes
  

 

Here's how my husband like to eat them:

Arugula pancakes with salami, melted cheese, and tomatoes.

NOTE TO SELF:

To use as few dishes as possible:

Use a 4-cup measuring pitcher to measure the vegetables, and dump them into a mixing bowl.  Add the flour and salt and mix to combine.

Arugula, red onion, cayenne, garlic, and chickpea flour

Break the eggs into the measuring pitcher and beat to blend.  Pour over the vegetables and mix to combine.

Eggs beaten to blend, scallions mixed with flour and sesame seeds

Cooked pancakes draining on paper towels.