Tag: vegetables

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Red bean Vegetarian Chili stuffed in Red Bell Pepper

  • Author: Cookie and Kate (for chili)
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Category: Chili
  • Cuisine: American

This chili probably made enough for 6 huge peppers, I doubled it and had a ton of extra.

The smoky, complex flavor of this simple vegetarian chili comes from basic pantry ingredients, vegetables and spices! It makes great leftovers, too. This chili recipe is gluten free as written (just be sure your garnishes are also gluten free), and vegan (unless you top it with dairy products like sour cream or cheese). Recipe yields 4 large or 6 moderate servings of chili.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder*
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika*
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained (I used red beans instead)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice, to taste
  • Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or crème fraîche, grated cheddar cheese, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and then cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.how to make vegetarian chili
  2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, the drained black beans and pinto beans, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine and let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes. Remove the chili from heat.
  4. For the best texture and flavor, transfer 1 1/2 cups of the chili to a blender and blend until smooth, then pour the blended mixture back into the pot. (Or, you can blend the chili briefly with an immersion blender, or mash the chili with a potato masher until it reaches a thicker, more chili-like consistency.)
  5. Add the chopped cilantro, stir to blend, and then mix in the vinegar, to taste. Add salt to taste, too—I added 1/4 teaspoon more at this point. Divide the mixture into individual bowls and serve with garnishes of your choice. This chili will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days (I haven’t tried, but I bet it would freeze well, too).

The best vegetarian chili - so easy to make with basic ingredients! cookieandkate.com

NOTES

Recipes consulted during the making of this recipe: vegetarian chili with winter vegetables (The New York Times), vegetarian chili (Saveur) and winter vegetable chili (Food and Wine). 
This is very good chili

  1. Slice the tops off peppers and remove seeds. and white pith
    Slice thin layer off the bottom to help them stand up straight. (if necessary)
    Scoop chili mixture into peppers.
    Stand peppers in a glass baking dish. replace top on peppers
  2. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
  3. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese (I used pepper jack cheese) then bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is starting to brown
  4. Sprinkle with cilantro

 

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Jerk Cauliflower

http://divaliciousrecipes.com/2016/09/14/jerk-cauliflower/
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Serves 4
Ingredients
  1. 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
Marinade
  1. 5 scallions/spring onions
  2. 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
  3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  4. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  5. 1 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  6. 1 teaspoon marjoram
  7. 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  8. 2 scotch bonnet peppers
  9. 2 tablespoon lime juice
  10. 2 tablespoon olive oil
  11. 1/4 cup vinegar
  12. ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  13. ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  14. 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  15. 2 cloves garlic
  16. 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
  1. Chop the spring onions, peppers, onion and garlic.
  2. Place in a food blender and add the remaining marinade ingredients.
  3. Puree until you have a smooth consistency.
  4. Place the cauliflower florets in a bowl and add about a quarter of the marinade to the bowl. Mix well until the cauliflower is coated.
  5. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F degrees.
  7. Arrange the cauliflower florets on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes, turning over half way through cooking.
  8. Eat and enjoy!
Notes
  1. Nutritional Info per quarter – 114 Calories, 7g Fat, 3g Protein, 11g Total Carbs, 4g Fibre, 7g Net Carbs

I went to a farmers market and they had huge orange cauliflower so I decided to use that for this month’s theme..

cauliflower one.png

The recipe calls for preparing in advance and letting it sit in a marinate for at least 2 hours (for me it was closer to 7 hours) .

I used a lot more of the jerk/marinade than the recipe called for (probably twice as much). I’m not sure if that’s partly why the final dish was very spicy.

I couldn’t find scotch bonnets so I just habaneros instead.

habanero.png

This isn’t a very precise recipe. I prefer recipes to give weight measurements for ingredients. For example it says you need I need 5 green onions. Depending on where you get them around here they be about the size of a straw or about ½ the size of a leek.

Onions – what kind? What size? Also, I used all fresh herbs but it wasn’t clear if that’s what I was supposed to do.

(I think this was the first time I’ve cooked with fresh marjoram:
marjaram.png

I thought it needed a little more salt. Overall for me I would give it 7 out of 10. Next time I may cook it at a lower temp for longer.

cauliflower row.JPG

 

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

The Worse Stir-Fried Eggplant with Sweet Chili-Garlic Sauce

Stir-Fried Eggplant with Sweet Chili-Garlic Sauce

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

When designing a satisfying vegetarian stir-fry recipe, we chose hefty eggplant to stand in for meat and then followed our tried-and-true procedure for stir-fries: Cook the eggplant in batches and set aside (we added a glaze to boost the flavor); steam-sauté the longer-cooking vegetables (such as carrots and broccoli) and set them aside; stir-fry the softer vegetables (such as celery, bell pepper, greens, and aromatics); then add everything back to the pan along with a flavorful sauce.

INGREDIENTS

GLAZE

2tablespoons soy sauce
2tablespoons honey
¼cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

SAUCE

1tablespoon rice vinegar
1teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1tablespoon cornstarch
¾cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
3tablespoons soy sauce
2tablespoons honey

VEGETABLES

4medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
2teaspoons minced fresh ginger
¼cup vegetable oil plus 1 tablespoon
½teaspoon table salt
1large egg, lightly beaten
1large eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds), peeled and cut crosswise into 1 1 /4-inch-thick rounds, each round cut into pie-shaped wedges (about 7 cups)
⅓cup cornstarch
2cups broccoli florets or other longer-cooking vegetable from the chart below
¾cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1cup diced red bell pepper or other quick-cooking vegetable from the chart below
1pound leafy greens from chart below
2tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS SERVES 3 TO 4

Eggplant can cook unevenly because the stem end is denser than the part containing most of the seeds. If some of the pieces seem cooked through in less than the allotted time, transfer these pieces to a plate and continue cooking the others until done. Return all the pieces to the pan before adding the glaze mixture. If you like a spicier stir-fry, increase the chili sauce to 2 teaspoons. Serve with steamed white rice.

1. Whisk glaze ingredients in small bowl; whisk sauce ingredients in separate small bowl. In third small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1 teaspoon oil. Set bowls aside.

2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. While oil is heating, combine salt and beaten egg in large bowl. Add eggplant and toss to coat evenly; transfer to clean bowl, allowing any excess egg to drip off. Sprinkle cornstarch over eggplant and toss with rubber spatula to coat evenly. Add eggplant in single layer to skillet and cook, without moving eggplant, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn eggplant with tongs and continue to cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until pieces are golden brown and softened, about 10 minutes more. (Some pieces may take longer than others; see note above.) Increase heat to medium-high; add glaze mixture and cook, stirring, until glaze is thick and eggplant is coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer eggplant to large plate; rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.

3. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet and place over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and cover skillet; cook until broccoli is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover skillet and cook until remaining liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer broccoli to plate with eggplant.

4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet and place over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Add bell pepper and green stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add leaves from the greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon or spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into greens.

5. Return all vegetables to skillet along with sauce ingredients; toss to combine and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated, about 1 minute. Transfer to serving platter, top with pine nuts (if using), and serve immediately.

Choosing and Preparing Vegetables for a Stir-Fry

Portobello mushrooms and eggplant are the mainstays in our stir-fries. As for the other vegetables, use those called for in the recipe or switch them with another vegetable from the same category below. We recommend using one harder, longer-cooking vegetable paired with quicker-cooking vegetable and a leafy green (either napa cabbage or bok choy).

Longer-cooking vegetables (to yield 2 cups)

  • 4 small carrots, peeled, sliced on bias 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 pound broccoli, stalks discarded, florets cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 pound cauliflower, core removed, florets cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 pound medium asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut on bias into 1 1/2-inch lengths
  • 1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed, cut on bias into 1 1/2-inch lengths

Quicker-cooking vegetables (to yield 1 cup)

  • 1 medium bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 3 ounces snow peas, strings and tough ends trimmed
  • 3 medium ribs celery, ends trimmed, cut on bias 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 small zucchini or summer squash, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and cut on bias 1/4 inch thick

Leafy Greens (to yield 2 cups stems and 4 cups greens)

  • 1 small bok choy or napa cabbage (about 1 pound), stems/cores and greens separated, stems/cores cut into 1/4-inch strips, greens into 3/4-inch-thick strips

TECHNIQUE

Preparing Vegetables for Stir-Frying

Napa Cabbage: Separate leaves, removing the core of each leaf with a wedge-shaped cut. Slice the leafy greens crosswise into 3/4-inch strips. Cut the cores into 1/4-inch strips.

Portobello Mushrooms: After removing the stem, gently scrape the underside of the mushroom with a dinner spoon to remove the feathery gills, which can impart a muddy taste to the stir-fry.

Zucchini: Halve zucchini lengthwise and gently scrape out the seeds from each half with a small spoon. Cut in half lengthwise again, then cut into 1/4-inch slices on a 45-degree bias.