Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric

By Alison Roman for New York Times Cooking

Spiced chickpeas are crisped in olive oil, then simmered in garlicky coconut milk for an insanely creamy, basically-good-for-you stew that evokes stews found in South India and parts of the Caribbean. While the chickpeas alone would be good as a side dish, they are further simmered with stock, bolstered with dark, leafy greens of your choosing and finished with a handful of fresh mint. When shopping, avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk meant for drinking or cream of coconut: All are very different and would not be suitable here.

INGREDIENTS

• Yield: 4 to 6 servings
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving
• 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup mint leaves, for serving
• Yogurt, for serving (optional)
• Toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add 1½ teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
3. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to ensure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
5. Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
6. Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.

Mexican Black Beans

 

Serves 4

From Food Lovin Family

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz can black beans
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 4 oz can diced green chiles (These can be omitted.)
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Pour oil in large skillet or saucepan. Warm over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté until softened, or 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds. Pour in black beans, diced chilis, cumin, salt and cilantro.
• Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Pulled-Pork Carnitas

 Yield: 4 to 6 servings                    Original recipe from the Food Network

Ingredients

• For Step 1:
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Juice of 2 oranges
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Small pinch ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• For Step 2:
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• For Steps 3 & 4
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup lard (I used butter and it was fine)
• For Serving:
• Soft corn tortillas
• Cilantro leaves
• Sliced jalapenos
• Pickled red onions

Directions

1. Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, cloves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large slow cooker and whisk to combine. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves and stir to combine.  Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours.
3. Transfer the pork to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with 2 forks, leaving some larger chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the lard in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shredded pork and press down into an even layer with a spatula. Cook, occasionally pressing with a spatula, until crisped and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of lard and shredded pork.
5. Serve with tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos, and pickled red onions.
   

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt

Directions

• Put the sliced onions in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl. 
• Put the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, bay leaves, sugar, coriander and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. 
• Pour the mixture over the red onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. 
• Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.

Morning Glory Muffins

 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ready in: 45 minutes

Servings: 12 smaller muffins

Ingredients

First bowl:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Second bowl:

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• ⅓ cup oil
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup grated apple
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup ground flax seed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins + more to sprinkle on top
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds + more to sprinkle on top
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds + more to sprinkle on top

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425° and prepare muffin tins with liners and cooking spray.
• Into one large bowl add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk together and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spend time here making sure the brown sugar is fully dissolved.
• Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold everything together. Make sure to mix thoroughly to avoid any clumps of flour.
• Scoop the batter into each prepared muffin tin.  Add toppings. 
• Bake for 6 minutes at 425°, and then reduce the temp to 350° (open the oven door briefly to bring the temp down) and bake for an additional 17-19 minutes.   Remove from oven when you can poke with a toothpick and it comes out clean.
• Once baked, remove from oven and let sit in muffin tins for 10 minutes.

From Andy's East Coast Kitchen, with modifications.

Juicy, Tender Meatloaf

• PREP TIME: 15 min
• COOK TIME:  1 hour
• RESTING TIME: 10 mins
• SERVINGS: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Meatloaf Mixture:

• 1 lb. Ground Turkey or lean Ground Beef
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp Ketchup
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp dried Parsley
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Topping

• 1/4 cup Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat, panko, onion, milk, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper until combined.
• Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and balsamic. Spoon the mixture onto the loaf and spread evenly over the top and all four sides, using up all the mixture.
• Bake at 375 degrees F until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F, about 50 to 60 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Bread

 

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (12 oz.)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup walnuts

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°. 
• Grease 9"x5" loaf pan.
• Combine the first five dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  
• Whisk eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin in a large bowl.  
• Whisk the dry ingredients into the large bowl until smooth.  Stir in nuts & raisins.  Pour into loaf pan. 
• Bake for 70 min. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool
• Can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Baked Cranberry/Orange Sauce

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb. (2 cups) cranberries
• 1 jar (12 oz.) orange marmalade
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°.  
• Combine everything but nuts in a 13x9 glass baking dish.  
• Bake uncovered 45 minutes.
• Stir in nuts.

Keeps up to 1 week.

Maple Sweet Potatoes (make ahead)

Ingredients

4 lb sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 (?) Maple flavor pancake syrup

Directions

Peal potatoes, chop into small pieces, and place in boiling water until tender. 

Add butter/syrup and mash or whip. Spoon into greased 2 quart dish. Cover and refrigerate.

To reheat: bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes.

Overnight Sausage Souffle

 This recipe was given to Elaine Garvey by Margo Conley in March, 1991.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb sausage links
• 6 slices white bread, crust removed, cubed
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups milk

Directions:

The day before:

• Fry sausage links.  Drain and cut (lengthwise) in thirds.
• In a buttered 2 1/2 quart casserole, alternate layers of bread cubes, sausage, and cheese.
• Beat the eggs, and add mustard, salt, and milk.  Pour the mixture into the casserole, cover & refrigerate overnight.

Next morning:

• Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  

Notes:  As you saw, I use a flat baking dish - I feel it cooks better.  I tripled the recipe for 14, and had a "little" left.

Sauce (optional)

• one 10 1/2 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup sherry
• one 12 oz. can mushrooms (drained) or 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter.

Blend & heat gently.

Great for Xmas breakfast!  Good luck -

                            Love - Margo   1991

Bleu Cheese Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Celery Salad

From the Boston Globe Magazine, November 19th, 2006

Ingredients:

• One slice 1/2 in thick slab bacon (or just buy thick sliced bacon)
• 12 pitted dates
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• two stalks celery, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup celery leaves
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• one tablespoon olive oil
• salt to taste

Directions

• Set the oven to 350°.  Have on hand a small skillet with a heat-proof handle and a small baking dish. 
• If using a slab of bacon, slice it into 12 pieces. Transfer to the skillet and cook in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels. 
• Stuff each date with one teaspoon of blue cheese. 
• Set the dates in the baking dish and bake for 4 minutes or until they are just warm. 
• In a bowl, toss the celery, spices and leaves, vinegar, and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. 
• Cut the cooked bacon into pieces small enough to fit into a date.
• Top each date with a piece of bacon and garnish with celery salad.

Chile Relleno

An authentic chile relleno recipe made from roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter and fried until golden brown!

Prep Time: 30 mins;  Cook Time: 15 mins;  Total Time: 45 mins

Servings: 6 servings (1 chile each) Calories: 334

Author: Isabel Eats

Equipment

• Toothpicks, for securing the stuffed peppers

Ingredients

• For the chile rellenos
• 6 large poblano peppers
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into long strips/sticks (or shredded cheese)
• 4 cups oil, for frying
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• For the salsa roja
• 6 roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 small onion, halved (yellow or white)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed (optional)
• 5 sprigs cilantro
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

For the chile rellenos

1. Roast the peppers: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place poblano peppers on top. Set your oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on.
2. Broil poblanos for 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip them over and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered.
3. Remove them from the oven and loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat and help them steam. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
4. Peel the peppers: Peel and rub off as much of the loose skin on the peppers as possible. It doesn't have to be perfect, just as much as you can.
5. Cut a small slit down the middle of the peppers with a knife. (If you don't want the peppers too spicy, you can remove some of the seeds. I like to leave them in as poblanos aren't typically super spicy to me, but that's personal preference.)
6. Stuff the peppers: Carefully stuff the peppers with the cheese. Some of the peppers will be extra fragile because of the roasting process and may tear - that's okay. Just do the best you can.
7. Gently close the opening of the peppers and secure it shut with 1-3 toothpicks. Use as many as you need to ensure that the cheese won't ooze out during the frying process. Set aside.
8. Prepare for frying: Heat the oil frying oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. While oil is heating up, prepare the batter.
9. Make the batter: Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two separate bowls - the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
10. While continuing to beat the egg whites on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time until all of them are fully mixed in. The batter should be light, fluffy and smooth.
11. Coat the peppers with batter: Place the flour and salt into a separate shallow bowl or plate. Mix together to combine. Gently roll the stuffed peppers in the flour mixture, then give them a gentle tap to remove any excess. Then dip them in the egg batter and gently place them in the hot frying oil.
12. Fry the chile rellenos: Fry the peppers for 3-5 minutes per side, until the batter is golden brown and crispy. Try not to overcrowd the peppers in the pan - I usually fry 2 at a time depending on the pan I'm using.
13. Transfer the peppers to the lined baking sheet to drain off any excess oil.

Serve: Immediately serve chile rellenos on a plate with some salsa, freshly chopped cilantro and some cotija cheese. (Don't forget to remove the toothpicks when you first cut into the peppers! You can try to remove them before serving onto plates, but I find it easier to remove them when you first cut into them.)

For the salsa roja

1. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro and salt to a blender. Puree until smooth.
2. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add blended salsa and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, taste and season with more salt if desired.

Notes

Make ahead.  The poblanos can be roasted and peeled up to 2 days in advance. The salsa roja can be made up to 3 days in advance. Both should be kept in the fridge until ready to use.

Buy the largest poblano peppers you can find. That way you can stuff the peppers with a lot of filling and you won’t have any leftovers.

Use a different cheese. Feel free to use another type of cheese if that’s all you have. Traditionally, chile relleno is made with Oaxaca cheese, but you could also use mozzarella, cheddar, provolone or another good melting cheese.

Add a different filling. To make this a more well-rounded one-chile meal, feel free to mix in some other ingredients to the filling. Some good options would be carnitas, shredded chicken or picadillo.

Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. I typically fry two chile rellenos at a time even though the pan could fit three.

Nutrition:

Serving: 1pepper | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1699IU | Vitamin C: 145mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 2mg

 

DECEMBER 12, 2022

BAKING Together Recipes

Velvety Chocolate Mousse

Elegant and easy, this is the make-ahead holiday dessert you've been looking for.

BY ABIGAIL JOHNSON DODGE

  

For this year’s holiday recipe for Cook the Vineyard, I’m sharing my easiest and most delicious chocolate mousse. No eggs involved here – just five ingredients. And the recipe can and should be made entirely ahead. Everything to love about that! I’ve also given you some fun topping ideas and flavor variations. For all my tips — and a recipe for chocolate shards — be sure to read Baking Together #30 before making the mousse. (Serving ideas are included in Kitchen Notes at the end of this recipe, too.)

Makes 4 servings

• 1 2/3 cups (13 1/4 ounces) heavy cream
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 teaspoons bourbon, other liqueur, or pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream, chocolate shavings or shards or other toppings (see notes below) 

 

1. Put the heavy cream and chocolate in a medium, heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until the cream is very hot and the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. (This can also be done by setting the bowl over a pot of simmering water). Repeat the microwaving as needed if there are any stubborn chocolate bits. Add the butter pieces to the warm mixture and stir gently until the butter has melted. Stir in the bourbon (or other liqueur or vanilla) and salt.

2. Chill, stirring occasionally, until thick and very cold, about two hours or up to two days. (For faster cooling, set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice and a little water, stirring and scraping the sides frequently until very cold.)

3. Using an electric handheld mixer, beat the chilled mixture on medium-high speed until thick enough to hold medium-firm peaks on a spatula, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. (Note, if using a standing mixer, the whipping goes very fast – don’t walk away or you may overbeat the mixture. You want it to be creamy and somewhat stiff, but not grainy.)

4. Spoon or pipe the mousse into serving cups or small bowls. If serving right away, top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or shards (if using) or other toppings. Or vary your presentation by layering with other ingredients. Alternatively you can cover the mousse cups (without topping) and refrigerate for up to two days.

KITCHEN NOTES

Double the recipe

Serving a larger crowd? Double or triple it up! Just remember to use a bigger bowl for the larger amount of ingredients and allow more time for chilling the chocolate mixture before whipping.

Pipe with a zip-top bag

If you want to pipe your mousse into cups, a zip-top plastic bag is an easy substitute for a pastry bag. Fill the bag and snip off about 1/2-3/4 inch of one corner and you are set to go. No fancy piping tips but it gets the mousse in the containers quickly and cleanly.

ADD TOPPINGS OR LAYERS 

Top with whipped cream

I usually double the recipe for Mascarpone Whipped Cream to serve on top of the mousse. Once whipped and piled onto the mousse, the cream holds up even over several days.

Garnish with chocolate shards or shavings

Chocolate shards make for a jaunty topping. Chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler and a bar of chocolate) are fine, too, but if you want to learn the fun technique for making chocolate shards, find the recipe in Baking Together #30.

Add fruit or nuts

Any type of fresh fruit – chopped into small pieces if necessary – can be scattered over the whipped cream (with or without the shards) just before serving. Consider strawberries, raspberries, pitted cherries, peaches or even orange segments (also called supremes). Pomegranate seeds add a splash of holiday color, too. Feel free to top with a few sliced almonds or chopped hazelnuts for a crunchy texture.

Layer the mousse, parfait-style

Crisp cookies like cinnamon grahams or chocolate or vanilla, or even peppermint Girl Scout cookies, can be used in between layers of the mousse. I prefer to crush them into small or fine bits. The layered mousse can and should still be made ahead, but much like an old-fashioned ice box cake, the cookies will soften into a cake-like texture (Yum!).

 

CHANGE UP THE FLAVOR

Orange

Add finely grated orange zest to the melted chocolate mixture and substitute orange flavored liqueur in place of the bourbon or vanilla extract. Consider sprinkling a little orange zest over the whipped cream (with or without the shards) just before serving.

Coffee

Add 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder to the chocolate and cream mixture before heating and substitute coffee liqueur in place of the bourbon or vanilla extract. Consider sprinkling some crushed chocolate covered espresso beans over the whipped cream (with or without the shards) just before serving.

Peppermint

Add a hint of pure peppermint extract to the chocolate mixture along with the bourbon or vanilla extract. Consider sprinkling some crushed peppermint candies over the whipped cream (with or without the shards) just before serving.