Bhindi Masala - Okra Curry

I have to thank my lovely friend Sarah Ashley, a native Texan, for introducing me to okra. If you've never cooked with okra, go buy some now! Okra is indigenous to West Africa but has become a staple in traditional cooking all over the world, including northern India where it's called bhindi. Okra is delicious, easy to prepare, low in fat, cholesterol and sodium, and packed with fiber, vitamins A, C, K, B6, thiamin, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron.... the list goes on! It's soft and crunchy and works perfectly in this richly spiced tomato coconut curry.



These little pods are also responsible for gumbo. Etymology love fest warning: the word gumbo comes from quillobo, okra's name in parts of eastern Africa. The word was adapted into Portuguese as quingombo, which ultimately became gumbo! (I had to include the word for okra in Tamil just because it's so incredibly beautiful: வெண்டை ).

Ingredients:
1 small yellow onion
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root
2 cups okra

1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
Pinch of cinnamon
1 dried chili pepper
2 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods

1 can light coconut milk
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Preparation:
1. Slice the onion into thin half moons and saute in olive oil until the onion begins to brown.

2. Mince the ginger and slice the okra into disks. Add the ginger and okra to the onions and saute for another minute or two.

3. Add the cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Cook for a minute to toast the spices.


4. Add the coconut milk and diced tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the tomato and coconut has created a thick, dark curry.

5. Add the arrowroot powder and season with salt. Cook for another minute or two. The arrowroot will thicken the curry a bit.

I served this over some farmers' market arugula but you could serve it with basmati rice, coconut rice, or even quinoa.


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Orange-Vanilla Bean Tea Cake

The goal of these little tea cakes was simple - I wanted a sweet snack to pick at this weekend. You know, something that sits on the kitchen table and gets a little nibble every time you pass by - something that is enjoyed piece by piece for breakfast, with your lazy afternoon tea, for dessert and vanishes by Monday morning.

Well, I just gobbled up another piece for Sunday breakfast so rest assured the goal has been accomplished. These cakes were inspired by a recipe in the Martha Stewart Living November issue - I swapped and replaced a few things so I wouldn't have to be rolled to work on Monday due to a cream / sugar coma.

Orange-Vanilla Bean Tea Cake:
3 oranges (or any citrus: grapefruit, clementines, tangerines...)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder *why aluminum free?
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups raw turbinado sugar
2 vanilla beans, split & scraped, pod reserved for another use
2 farm fresh eggs



1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 5-by-9 inch loaf pan (or 2 smaller loaves as I did). Zest 2 oranges to yield approximately 1 tablespoon zest. Juice 2 oranges to yield 3/4 cup juice. Cut pith and skin from remaining orange and slice fruit along membranes to release segments into a bowl; discard membranes and any seeds. With your fingers, break each segment into 2.



2. Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.

3. Beat zest, butter, 1 cup sugar, and the vanilla seeds with a mixer on medium speed until combined. With machine running, add eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low, and beat flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour.



4. Fold orange segments into mixture, and pour into pan. Gently smooth top using a spatula.

5. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes for a large loaf (about 40 to 50 minutes for smaller). Meanwhile, bring remaining 1/2 cup orange juice and 1/4 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.

6. Remove tea cake from oven, poke top all over with a skewer, and brush with half the orange syrup. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool for 15 minutes. Invert pan to remove cake (this cake is moist and delicate so be careful inverting the pan). Let cool completely on wire rack, top side up.

7. Brush remaining orange syrup onto sides and again on top of cake. (Cake can be stored, wrapped, at room temperature overnight or refrigerated for up to 5 days.)



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Quinoa Maki

The West Tisbury Public Library has an impressive collection of vegetarian and whole foods cookbooks. The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen (my newest and hardest crush) was our most recent find. I immediately ordered it. Tal Ronnen is the vegan chef who catered Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi's wedding... He also happens to be really cute! Call me, Tal.


His book is filled with beautiful photographs and incredible vegan recipes, including one for Quinoa Maki with Avocado and Cajun Portobello Fillets, which I used as the basis for this Avocado & Sweet Potato Quinoa Maki. Of course the great thing about sushi is that the variations are as endless as your imagination. Making sushi at home sounds like a daunting and frustrating task. I didn't even use a sushi rolling mat, so I fully expected to crash and burn. It ended up being incredibly simple and straightforward. Keep that secret to yourself and everyone will think you're a kitchen goddess.


Ingredients: (makes 4 rolls)
4 sheets of sushi nori (seaweed wrappers)
1 avocado
2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (optional)
1 tablespoon sambal (or any spicy chili sauce)
1 cup dry quinoa
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 sweet potato
1 tablespoon wasabi powder (or prepared wasabi)
Soy sauce

Preparation:
1. Mix the wasabi powder with a few drops of hot water until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.

2. Mix the vegan mayonnaise with the sambal. Set aside. (Vegan mayo still creeps me out a little. I just used straight up sambal, but for those with delicate taste buds, just skip it.)

3. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. (You could make this with white or brown rice but quinoa is a fun twist on sushi, and just so darn good for you!) When the quinoa is cooked, stir in the rice vinegar and sugar. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the sweet potato. Slice into 1/2 inch sheets, toss in olive oil, and roast at 425 until cooked through, turning once.

5. When all your ingredients are ready, roll the sushi! Place a sheet of nori (seaweed) on your cutting board or counter. Spread a thin layer of quinoa across the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the far end to seal the sushi. (The quinoa was sticking to my fingers a bit so I used the back of a spoon, which worked perfectly!)

6. Spread a bit of the sambal mixture across the center of the sushi, parallel to the seal strip. Top with a layer of avocado and strips of sweet potato. It doesn't have to be perfect, but try to make it relatively even.

8. Wet the sealing strip generously with water. Starting at the end closest to you, roll the nori firmly over the filling towards the 'naked' sealing end. When the roll is fully closed, press firmly (but not too hard) and set it on your cutting board, seam side down.

9. Using a sharp knife, cut the maki into eight equal-ish pieces. Serve with wasabi, soy sauce, and pickled ginger!
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Cornbread Stuffed Acorn Squash

Well, this was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. About a week ago Heidi Swanson posed this recipe for Corn Pudding Roasted Acorn Squash. Since it's oozing with melted cheese and milk, I've been looking for a way to make it vegan and more artery-friendly. When I bought a box of cornbread mix at Trader Joe's this weekend I thought it could be a yummy solution to my overwhelming desire to stuff an acorn squash. This came out so well, it's really one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted! The farmers' markets are overflowing with acorn squash right now, and this would be the perfect Thanksgiving sidedish.


For the squash & roasted seeds:
1 acorn squash
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

For the Cornbread Stuffing:
1 batch cornbread (I used Trader Joe's mix)
1 large or 2 small yellow onions
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 t. rosemary
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. oregano
Salt & pepper


Preparation:
1. Make a batch of conbread! I used Trader Joe's mix - it was fantastic! I substituted soy milk and 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water for the egg.
2. Preheat the oven to 425. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Put the seeds into a strainer and rinse under water to remove the seeds from the membrane.

3. Rub the inside of the squash with some olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, cut side up, while you prepare the stuffing.
4. Saute the diced onions in olive oil until they're very soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and herbs and satue for just a minute, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

5. Cut the cornbread into cubes and toss with the onion/herb mixture. Season with lots of pepper. If your cornbread seems too dry, add a few tablespoons of water.

6. Let the cornbread cool a minute so you can handle it. Remove the squash from the oven. Generously stuff each half with the cornbread stuffing, firmly pressing it into the squash with your fingers.

7. Turn the oven down to 350. Return the squash to the oven and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until the stuffing has browned and the squash is fork-tender.

Serves 4.


Toasted Squash Seeds:
1. Remove the seeds from the membrane and pat dry on a kitchen towel.
2. In a dry pan, slowly toast the seeds over low heat until golden brown on all sides.
3. Drizzle with a few drops of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.


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Pumpkin Muffins

Don't you love when your friends are good at something that you reap the benefits from?

My friend Heather recently completed her Yoga teachers training at Eyes of the World Yoga in Providence and has been, very graciously, teaching an hour long class each week out of her apartment. And, get this, the class is free! Heather's class is such a treat, I wanted to bake something up as a big THANK YOU.

I love this recipe because not only does it perfectly embody October in New England but the muffin badder holds little plump raisin and crunchy pumpkin seed surprises. I found it in Gourmet Magazine (November 2008), and with the magazine's door closing (tear...) I'd like to honor the Gourmet cooking institution as much as possible in the coming weeks.



Pumpkin Muffins:

Makes 12

1/3 cup golden raisins
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), divided

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter muffin pan if not nonstick.
2. Soak raisins in hot water 5 minutes, then drain.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined, then stir in raisins and 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds.
6. Divide batter among muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining seeds. Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack.


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Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread

This morning an interesting recipe for Chocolate Chickpea Spread popped up on my Google Reader. The recipe reminded me of a healthy makeover of that incredible chocolate peanut butter they sell at Whole Foods. The idea of iron, fiber, antioxidants, and protein masquerading as "chocolate for breakfast" sounded too good to pass up. I tweaked the original recipe by upping the peanut butter flavor, using coconut instead of olive oil, and brewed coffee instead of instant. You could even add spicy chili to make a Mexican version. This would be fantastic in a dessert crepe with sliced bananas or strawberries. I promise it doesn't taste like hummus!


Ingredients:

15 oz. (1 can) chickpeas
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brewed coffee


Preparation:
1. Put all ingredients (except coffee) into a food processor fitted with metal blade.
2. Process until combined. With the food processor still running, slowly stream in the coffee and blend until smooth.

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Bean & Butternut Chili with Quinoa

When Fall comes and the weather gets cool (or it snows in mid-October, as the case may be), I immediately crave a big pot of soup, stew, or chili. Anything that cooks slowly, fills the house with good smells, and makes enough to feed me for a week, getting better every time I reheat it. Yes, my friends, it's chili time.

Quinoa, beans, and loads of veggies means this is the kind of comfort food you don't have to feel guilty about. I used butternut squash in this batch because it's in season and the farmers' markets seem to be exploding with squash, but sweet potato would be fantastic. The red bell pepper gives the chili a hint of sweetness and loads of Vitamin C!


Ingredients:
1 large red onion, chopped
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cubed

2 cups butternut squash (or sweet potato) cubed, about 1 medium squash
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. cumin
2 t. chili powder
1/2 - 1 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried cilantro/coriander

1/3 cup drinkable red wine
1 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

25 oz. (1 large can) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. (1 can) black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz. (1 large can) tomatoes (one big can, preferably whole San Marzano tomatoes)
16 oz. (2 cups) vegetable stock (half a box)
1/2 c. quinoa (or millet)

2 T. red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro &/or basil


Preparation:
1. In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan, saute the onion, carrot, celery, and red bell pepper in olive oil until the vegetables begin to brown.

2. Add the cubed butternut squash, garlic, tomato paste, and spices. Saute for a minute or two, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

3. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that might have stuck to the bottom.

4. Stir in the beans, canned tomato, and stock. Cover and bring to a boil.

5. Simmer on low for about an hour. Stir in the quinoa, cover again, and continue to cook over a very low flame for as long as you can wait. The longer the better... all day! (The quinoa will absorb some liquid and thicken the chili.)

6. Stir in the vinegar and lots of fresh chopped cilantro (or basil). Serve with a hunk of crusty bread!

* Non-vegans, stir in some shredded cheese or top your bowl of chili with a dollop of sour cream!

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Lazy Autumn Butternut Squash Soup

All that separates you from a big bowl of cozy butternut squash soup is fifteen minutes and two ingredients. Yes... t-w-o.

This came together purely by accident. The farmers' markets have been overflowing with beautiful butternut squash lately. I picked some up to make chili and ended up with quite a bit left over. I tossed the remaining squash into a pot, seeds and all, and covered it with vegetable broth. A few minutes later I had a delicious, fat free!, foolproof soup that tasted like it required real effort. Sound too good to be true? I would never lie about something as serious as butternut squash soup.

Ingredients:
Butternut squash, roughly diced
Vegetable broth (enough to cover the squash)
* There are no exact measurements. It's very rustic and totally foolproof!

Preparation:
1. Peel the squash and roughly chop into big chunks. Seeds and all!
2. Transfer the squash to a small pot and add just enough broth to almost cover the squash.
3. Gently simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is very soft.
4. Use a fork or a wooded spoon to lightly break up the squash a bit. Season with salt, lots of black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.
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Tostones - Baked Plantain Chips

I bought two Caribbean-inspired goodies at Harvest today: a green plantain and yuca. The former led to these incredibly delicious, easy, impressive, and innocuous "Tostones." The latter (the yuca) lead to a near death experience. Even after being warned by a living, breathing, native Caribbean that raw yuca is poisonous, I, in my infinite wisdom, decided it would be a good idea to taste it so I knew how to season it. One call to the Poison Control Hotline later, we confirmed that the amount of cyanide I ingested wasn't enough to kill me. I still threw out the yuca in a fit of spite/fear.


Back to the deliciously addictive baked vegan "tostones." These crispy plantain chips are sometimes called "patacones" and are traditionally fried... twice. The double frying would have surprised me if Sarah and I hadn't stumbled upon Puerto Rican Cookery in the cookbook section of the West Tisbury public library last weekend. After leafing through scores of recipes for early heart disease, the only things that looked appetizing and vaguely nutritious were a handful of plantain recipes (and the entire chapter dedicated to rum cocktails).


These tostones are baked instead of fried... let alone fried twice! I used coconut oil which has a mild taste and high cooking temperature. I can't begin to describe how delicious they were! And easy. We ate them straight out of the oven but they are fantastic for dipping in guacamole. And since it snowed in Cambridge today, moving to Puerto Rico and eating tostones all day is sounding more appealing by the minute.


Ingredients
2 green (unripe) plantains
Coconut oil (You could substitute canola oil or olive oil)
Salt

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Carefully peel the plantains. Slit the skin with the edge of your knife, being careful not to cut into the plantain.
3. Slice the plantains on the bias and toss in enough coconut oil to cover.


4. Lay the plantain slices on a cooking sheet and sprinkle liberally with salt.
5. Bake until golden brown on one side, about 10 minutes. Flip the plantain slices and bake until both sides are golden.


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Kale Malfatti (Gnocchi)

We have some exciting news!

After a lovely conversation with Hannah from Farm Fresh Rhode Island, over tea at Blue State Coffee, Two Blue Lemons officially has a new project! Each week, Two Blue Lemons will be writing a recipe highlighting local, seasonal ingredients, for Farm Fresh RI's weekly newsletter! The idea is for readers to become inspired to cook with, and search out, fresh local foods. We're hoping our recipes will also encourage readers to pick up something new and unusual - like a turnip or purple kale.

To that point this recipe, courtesy of Siena Farms' newsletter, is an unexpected and smart way to eat your kale, an incredibly healthful and available green. Dark leafy greens will be all over the markets this winter and you can easily swap kale for chard, spinach, arugula, or any other dark beauty you enjoy. And what's better on a cold night, than a pile of happy dumplings and a glass of red wine?

Kale Malfatti (Gnocchi):

2 ½ cups of cooked kale, squeezed dry and chopped finely in the food processor
*I sauteed the kale in a couple tablespoons of olive oil for about 10 minutes

Handful of chopped basil

2 cups ricotta, drained for 1 hour

2 farm fresh eggs

2 tbl butter, melted

Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup of finely grated Parmesan

¾ cup flour

-Beat ricotta in mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

-Beat in melted butter, fresh nutmeg, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Stir in finely chopped kale - check seasoning for salt and pepper.

-Stir in flour, slowly.

-Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop a teaspoon of ricotta batter in and test one to see if it holds together, add more flour if necessary.

-Form into ½ inch balls and boil until they float to the top.
*I formed all my balls first, then dropped them in.

-Remove with slotted spoon and drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot with fresh tomato sauce or by themselves. *I recommend w. tomato sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan!

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