BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

No need to run away, I promise you this is a very flavorful way to cook butternut squash. Simple, fast, and perfect to go with roast chicken or grilled salmon. The black beans provide a salty, sharp flavor that complements well the squash. I have made it with the beans as they come from the package, and a second time I minced them. I prefer them minced, the flavor will be more pronounced in the final dish, but if it is your first time trying this ingredient, use them whole and see how you like it.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS
(adapted from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen)

1 pound butternut squash, cut in big chunks
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon Rose Harissa (or any pepper mix you like)
1 tablespoon fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water
drizzle of sesame seed oil
cilantro leaves

Heat a wok over high heat and add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the harissa, the fermented beans, and leet them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the butternut squash pieces, stir them well to coat with the oil, sprinkle the sugar on top. Pour the water and season with a little salt. Cover, reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes until tender.

If there is still water, you can drain it a bit or reduce by boiling, as long as the squash is not too tender. Add the cilantro and sesame oil right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I normally roast or air-fry butternut squash, but it was really easy and fast to braise it. Leftovers were even better, the flavor intensified a bit, and it never got mushy, even after a brief encounter with microwaves. This will go into our rotation for sure. If you don’t have and won’t be getting fermented black beans to play with, maybe a drizzle with sweet soy sauce and a tiny bit of fish sauce will be a nice move.

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1May2023

ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I adore zucchini and in this preparation it really shines! I strongly advise you to cut it with a mandolin, because paper thin is a must. You won’t have the same beautiful effect of that noodle appearance unless you really slice it super thin. Come to think of it, a veggie peeler might work also!

ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 medium zucchini, cut very thin lengthwise
juice of ½ lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
roasted peanuts
Herbes de Provence
drizzle of agave nectar

Sprinkle the ribbons of zucchini with salt, place in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and dry on paper towels. Add to a large serving bowl and squeeze lemon juice all over the slices. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, this will soften the veggie a bit. When it is time to serve, drizzle olive oil, season with Herbes de Provence, and spread peanuts on top. Finally, a drizzle of agave nectar for a little contrast of flavor.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: It is not very hard for me to praise my favorite squash, but I believe most people will appreciate the texture and freshness of this preparation. Other nuts can work too, the most important step is allowing the lemon juice to do its job. Use a nice olive oil with enough flavor and you are all set!

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21Feb2023

ZUCCHINI-CHICKPEA BAKED BITES

Posted in Side dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Yet another recipe that won’t win many votes in a beauty contest, but is so tasty and simple to prepare, I had to share with you. It happens to be vegan-friendly, because contrary to similar preparations, this one takes no eggs. All binding is given by processed chickpeas, straight from a can. It came from a Brazilian blog, but I modified it slightly to reduce the amount of carbs. Thank you to my niece Raquel for sending it to me, saying that the recipe “had my name written all over it.” I think she is right!

ZUCCHINI-CHICKPEA BAKED BITES
(inspired by this post)

200 g zucchini (1 large or 2 medium), grated on a large-hole grater
250 g canned chickpeas, well-rinsed and drained
basil leaves to taste
1/2 tsp salt + more to sprinkle on zucchini
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 cup almond flour
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
panko bread crumbs
olive oil spray

Heat oven to 420F.

Salt the grated zucchini lightly and allow it to sit on a colander for 10 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini dry preferably using a towel.
Add to a food processor together with the chickpeas, salt, paprika and basil. Process until fully smooth, stopping to clean the bowl with a spatula once. Add the two flours and process just to bind it all.

Form small patties, cover with panko bread crumbs on both sides. Place them separated over aluminum foil and spray the surface with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, turn them gently, spray more olive oil on the top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until golden brown. Serve with you favorite sauce or plain.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I was a bit skeptical that the little morsels would hold shape without the help of an egg, but although very fragile, I did not have problems. Just be gentle. If you want to fry them, you could still keep them vegan by using the liquid from the chickpea can to make a whipped “egg white substitute”, coat them with that and add bread crumbs. But I tend to avoid frying because I dislike dealing with the leftover oil. Air-frying could be also a good option but our fryer has a small basket and I would have to fry in batches, so I went with the baking option.

A bit of tomato sauce and grated Parmigiano is also a nice way to serve them, although obviously not vegan anymore. I will definitely make them again, and pair with a tahini sauce which I think will be another great serving idea.

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18Nov2022

COMPRESSED EGGPLANT & GRUYERE SLICES

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This recipe blew my little mind… You need two special gadgets to make it, a mandolin-type slicer and a vacuum sealer. My slicer is an OXO, easier to work and adjust than the original French model. Super thin slices of eggplant with a little cheese in the middle get compressed and later roasted at high temperature. It is eggplant like I’ve never had before.

COMPRESSED EGGPLANT & GRUYERE SLICES
(from the Bewitching Kitchen, inspired by Chef Tony Botella)

1 large eggplant, sliced very thin (3mm maximum) with a mandolin
Gruyere cheese cut in thin slices
Herbes de Provence to taste
salt to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
balsamic vinegar to taste
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Lay one eggplant slice on a flat surface, place a slice of cheese in the center, sprinkle with Herbes the Provence. Place another eggplant slice on top, carefully slide into a vacuum-sealable bag. Once all the little sandwiches are done, seal the bag. Place in the fridge for at least one hour, but you can leave it for a couple of days.

Fifteen minutes before dinner, remove them from the bag and place on a silicone mat, gently brush with olive oil gently on both sides, season with salt. Roast at 425F for 12 minutes, until golden. A little cheese might escape to the side, nothing wrong with that, the silicone mat makes it easier to lift.

Cut each slice in half, place in a serving dish, drizzle with balsamic and sprinkle almonds on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe click here

Comments: The key to this recipe is slicing the eggplant very thin. I doubt you will be able to do it by hand, so a mandolin is a must. I think different types of cheese could be fun to try, for instance a cheese with Habanero to heat things up. But it must be a reasonably sturdy cheese to avoid excessive melting. Gruyere was perfect.

I normally don’t care for the eggplant skin, but in this preparation it did not hurt anything. I will be making this again soon. It would be great as a little special appetizer at a dinner party, with a nice sourdough bread to go with it. Or as a first course on a meal. A fun new technique to play with!

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25Oct2022

SPICY CITRUS PEANUT SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I’ve made variations of this recipe three times in the past month. I am a bit obsessed with the dressing, that has the right amount of heat and very mild hint of sweetness. The original recipe was published in the blog Naturally Nidhi, and you can find it here.

SPICY CITRUS PEANUT SALAD
(slightly modified from Naturally Nidhi)

makes 2 servings

for the salad:
2 oranges , peeled and segmented
greens of your choice (I used green leaf lettuce), amount enough for two
1/4 cup peanuts, roasted and salted

for the dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
salt to taste

In a serving bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Add the greens, toss to coat uniformly with the dressing. Add the orange segments, peanuts and toss gently. Adjust seasoning if needed with a little salt.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: In her blog post, Nidhi used arugula. If you like to pump the sharpness-spicy level up, go for it. We like to use lettuce, I made it once with red leaf lettuce, another with butter lettuce, they all go quite well with all other ingredients. The dressing, so simple, packs a ton of flavor, I bet it would be great brushed oven a nice piece of salmon before grilling it. I simplified it a bit, so make sure to check her blog post for a more complex version.

We enjoyed it with rotisserie-style chicken from our grocery store, and no, I am not ashamed to confess it. Sometimes it is good to make life easier and concentrate on making just a salad and a side dish.

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