Seasonal Ontario Food

Last time I was in a civilized place - and apparently my definition of "civilized place" is "has a Chinese/Asian grocery store" - I stocked up on tau pok. It freezes extremely well, and I freely admit it is my favourite form of tofu. In spite of consisting of deep fried chunks, it is really not greasy and the resulting chewy/airy texture is terrific. If you think you don't much like tofu and it is the texture that puts you off, this is a good way to try it again and see.

There are a number of traditional recipes for stuffing and steaming tau pok. My take on it combines things from 2 popular versions, mostly as a matter of expedience; other than the tau pok itself these are all ingredients I can get around here. 

I found the oyster sauce added a necessary punch of saltiness to these - in spite of the fish sauce, they were not really salty in themselves. If you don't have any oyster sauce, add a bit more fish sauce or double the salt in the filling.

 

16 to 20 pieces

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

assumes puffs are steamed in 2 batches

250 grams (1/2 pound) ground pork OR chicken

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon arrowroot OR corn starch

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

2/3 to 1 cup finely chopped green onion OR chives

2 teaspoons mild vegetable oil to oil dish

1 package (185 grams; 6.5 ounces) fried tofu puffs (tau pok)

about 1/2 cup chicken stock

oyster sauce

cilantro 

Put the ground meat in a bowl with the fish sauce, salt, pepper, and arrowroot. Peel and grate the ginger, and add it. Wash, dry, trim, and chop the green onions or chives very finely and add them. Mix everything very well. 

Set up your steamer; it should hold the stuffed tofu in a dish. Mine would only hold half at a time so I set up 2 dishes to go into it. Lightly oil the dish or dishes, and turn the heat on under the steamer. If you are doing it in two rounds, be sure there is plenty of water in it, or that you can add boiling water to top it up if needed. 

Meanwhile, stuff some tofu. Cut a slit in one side (top) of each puff and put in a bit of the filling You can stuff in more than you might think and I found it useful to score off the bowl of filling to make sure it was being more-or-less evenly divided. There were 18 puffs in my package, but they are plainly hand-cut and varied a bit in size so quantity may not be exact either. Arrange them in the oiled dish(es) in a single layer, stuffing up. Place them in the steamer and pour a little chicken stock on them; just enough for them to be sitting in about 1/4" of it. Steam for 20 minutes. If you have a rack or similar thing that can go under the plate to be steamed, and which has handles to allow it to lift the plate out, that is very helpful.

If you have a second dish, check the water level, and steam it for 20 minutes with a little chicken stock in the same way. 

These will be very hot when they come out, and the spongy tofu holds some of the broth to burst out and burn you when bitten, so let them sit for a full 10 minutes before serving. Garnish them with a drizzle of oyster sauce and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, if you like. 

Last year at this time I made Sorrel Soup.

Well so much for the theory that spring is on the way. It is, I guess, but so far, not so good. I did manage to scrounge a little spinach, sorrel, and mache (corn salad) from the garden just before the cold settled back in; enough for a salad with a little help from some lovely local greenhouse lettuce I've been able to get this winter.  

Greenhouse tomatoes aren't quite so good - I notice they have changed from just a year or two ago, and now stay very firm, not to say outright hard - but they taste okay, and even though I'm using them less often, they really did add to the colour and texture of this salad. I used 2 medium tomatoes and did not think them too prominent; if you are a tomato lover you could add another.

We both really liked the dressing, and I think I will be making it fairly often. It's a fairly standard tahini sauce, spiced up a little. 

If you don't want to cook the onions, it's a good idea to salt them and let them drain for 15 minutes before rinsing and draining them well. At least, the older I get the better an idea I think that is. If you are up for eating raw onion, good for you.

 

4 servings

30 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the lentils & onions 

(15 minutes PLUS cooking and cooling time)

 

 

Cook the Lentils & Onions:

1 cup brown or green lentils 

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 or 2 medium onions

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Rinse the lentils and put them in a rice cooker with the water and salt. Turn on; cook. Let them cool completely before assembling the salad. This can be done up to a day in advance. 

Peel the onions and cut them into slivers. Cook them gently over medium heat in the oil until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add them to the lentils to cool.

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (to taste)

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup tahini 

the juice of 1 large lemon

a little water as needed

 

Grind the cumin with the salt, and put in a small bowl with the pepper and Aleppo pepper. Peel and mince the garlic and add it. Add the olive oil and mix, then add the tahini and mix thoroughly until as smooth as you can get it. Slowly add the lemon juice, a little at a time, to make a smooth paste. It should be the consistency of thick cream; add a little water, a teaspoon at a time and mixing well after each addition, until this is achieved. 

3 to 4 cups mixed shredded salad greens 

 - lettuce, spinach, sorrel, mache etc.

1 to 3 medium greenhouse tomatoes

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Wash and dry the greens, and shred or tear them up fairly small. Wash and core the tomatoes, and cut them in dice. Wash, dry, and mince the cilantro. 

Mix the onions into the lentils well, then layer them with the greens, tomatoes, and dressing on a serving platter. For best looks, finish with a sprinkle of tomatoes and a drizzle of the dressing. You may not use all the dressing; in that case put it in a little jug to be passed for anyone who would like extra. 

Last year at this time I made Coconut Beef & Cabbage Curry.

Like most stews, there's nothing complicated about this; it just needs a little advance planning. Get the split peas and lamb cooked the day before; put everything together and simmer the next day for perfect winter comfort food. Getting towards the end of the season for that, I hope, though. It looks like after a slow start spring is finally gathering some steam. 

The recipes I looked at used lamb shank and coarsely chopped cabbage so I followed suit. However, I think that this would be just as good and certainly less expensive to make with lamb stewing meat, with or without bones although bones are better if you can find it. If you are buying your lamb from a butcher you maybe able to score some soup bones. Even a little beef bone would be better than none. In fact, if lamb is not an option I would make this with beef and still expect it to be really very good.

 

My lamb shanks were the biggest I've ever seen, so I used two for the three of us, cutting off the meat and removing the bone before serving. There was enough left over for Mr. Ferdzy and I to have it for lunch the next day. So smaller pieces of lamb are better, in my opinion, and also I would chop the cabbage more finely. With those minor changes, this is one of the best stews I've had in quite a long time. 

 

This is traditionally made with dried limes, but good luck with that. I just put in a little squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end. 

You can serve it with rice, or bread on the side. It's definitely soupy/stewy, so in any case be sure to supply spoons.

 

4 to 6 servings

2 hours 45 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

1/2 cup split yellow peas

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon olive OR mild vegetable oil

2 kilograms (4 to 6; 2 pounds) small lamb shanks

OR 1 kilo bone-in stewing lamb

water

1 teaspoon salt

 

Put the split peas, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a rice cooker and let them cook. Alternatively, put them in a pot and simmer gently until the peas are softened. Stir regularly. 

 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the lamb evenly. Put it into a heavy-bottomed stew-pot with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover, and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until cooked through. 

OR put it in an Instant Pot with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 30 minutes then allow it to release naturally.

 

Both of these can be done up to a day ahead. 

1 tablespoon coriander seed 

3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons cumin seed

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 or 3 bay leaves 

Grind the coriander, peppercorns, and cumin with the salt. Mix them in a small bowl with the remaining spices and set aside until needed.

 

2 medium-large onions

6 cups chopped cabbage

2 cups crushed tomatoes

the juice of 1 medium lime

chopped cilantro of parsley to garnish, if possible

Peel the onions and chop them fairly coarsely. Wash, trim, and chop the cabbage. 

 

Add the spices and cooked peas to the meat, in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for half an hour, stirring regularly. Add the onion and simmer for 15 minutes, then add the cabbage and lime juice and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the cabbage is done. 

If you can serve it garnished with a little chopped cilantro, so much the better. 

Last year at this time I made Onion, Mustard, & Red Pepper Bulgur.

Greenhouse peppers at this time of year; but keep this dish in mind for late summer and early fall as well. Really, this is something I would happily eat all year long, as long as I could get the peppers.

 

I know I usually refer to them as chick peas, but this dish is so distinctly Spanish, it's going to have to be garbanzos. I also have to say that if you have an Instant Pot, there is no reason not to be cooking beans from dried. If you really have to use canned beans, though, you will need 2 cans.  

There was none around at the moment, but a little parsley on top would have been ideal.

 

4 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 40 minutes prep time 

NOT including cooking the chick peas

 

1 1/3 cups raw chick peas

  OR 3 1/2 cups cooked chick peas

1 medium onion

1 to 3 cloves of garlic

1/2 large red bell pepper

1/2 large orange bell pepper

1/2 large yellow bell pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 or 3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 teaspoons sweet OR smoked Spanish paprika

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

600 grams (1.5 pounds) chicken pieces

1/4 cup barley OR wheat flour

salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil  

Cook the chick peas by putting them into a pot and covering them generously with water; bring to a boil, then turn it off and cover them. Let them soak for one to several hours. 

Drain the chick peas and either return them to the pot and re-cover with plenty of water and a teaspoon of salt then boil them gently until tender, or cook them in the Instant Pot - I give them 8 to 10 minutes with natural release. If cooked on the stove top, they will need 1 to 2 hours.

When you are ready to start the stew, peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Wash, core, and chop the peppers into dice a little larger than a cooked chick pea. 

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced. Add the seasonings and mix in well, then the chicken stock and vinegar. Let this mixture simmer while you prepare the chicken to be added. 

Coat the chicken in the flour, into which the salt and pepper have been mixed. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the chicken on all sides until nicely browned. Add the pieces to the pot of chick peas. Use a little of the cooking broth to de-glaze the skillet, and add it back into the stew. 

Simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is well done and everything is thick and stewish. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve. 

Last year at this time I made Strawberry Sponge Pudding.

This is as simple a little lentil soup as one could make; but very tasty nonetheless. Summer savory and paprika are typical seasonings in Bulgarian cuisine. When I first discovered this, I exclaimed "I'm a Bulgarian cook and didn't even know it!" 

 

Well, not quite. But I have gotten more interested in Bulgarian cuisine this winter, as you may have noticed. This is not quite the original Bulgarian soup as I found it, but close enough. The original did not have the vinegar added as it cooked, but vinegar was mixed with garlic and salt and swirled though the finished soup. I prefer to add it to the soup in good time to allow it to mingle and mellow, and to use a more Turkish finish of garlic yogurt. Since the Bulgarians also use garlic and yogurt in quantity, I'm sure I am not the first to do so. If you don't want it you don't have to; but we thought it a very good addition.   

I'm saying 15 minutes prep time, but you can't wander away for the hour of cooking - it does want stirring every so often.

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 15 minutes prep time

 

 

2 teaspoons summer savory

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

 

In a small bowl; set them aside.

 

1 large onion

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 medium carrot

2 tablespoons sunflower OR olive oil

1 cup green or brown lentils

6 to 7 cups of water

3 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar OR white wine vinegar 

 

Peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the carrot finely. 

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Cook the onion and carrot gently over medium heat, for 5 to 10 minutes,  until softened and very lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, give it another minute, then add the lentils and 4 cups water. 

Simmer gently for about 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the lentils are tender. Add more water as it cooks down to keep a thick but soupy consistency. When the lentils seem to be done, add the seasonings and the vinegar. Simmer for a further 15 minutes or so, again stirring regularly and maintaining the consistency. 

Serve plain, or with a dollop of Garlic-Yogurt. 

Even though we eat a fair bit of frozen vegetables around here in the winter, I tend to give them short shrift on the blog. So this week I am going to put the spot-light on them for a bit of a change. 

 

Ontario frozen edamame can be hard to find, but check your local health food store - they may have them. Mixed with cabbage and greenhouse peppers and lettuce (you could throw in a cucumber too if you like) they make a great substantial salad. 

 

I've always tried not to put sugar in vegetable and salad recipes, but maybe my tahini was unusually strong/bitter; I really felt it needed a little smoothing out. It's up to you - maybe taste the dressing before you add it.  

I assume this is the main body of the meal; it would go further as a side salad but it seems like a main dish to me with all those edamame in it. Maybe add the entire lettuce if using it as a side salad.

 

2 to 4 servings

30 minutes prep time

 

 

1" piece ginger root 

1 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider OR rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

black or chile pepper to taste

 

Peel and grate the ginger finely into a small mixing bowl or jam jar. Mix in the tahini and soy sauce, then mix in the remaining ingredients, stirring well after each addition. 

2 cups frozen edamame, thawed

1/3 red, yellow, or orange greenhouse bell pepper

1 or 2 green onions

1 medium carrot

1 cup finely shredded Savoy cabbage

1/2 to 1 head greenhouse lettuce

 

Cook the edamame in boiling water for 3 minutes then drain them very well. 

 

Meanwhile, dice the pepper. Wash, trim, and finely chop the onions. Peel and grate the carrot. Wash, drain, and shred the cabbage. Wash, dry, and chop the lettuce fairly finely. Mix all these in a salad bowl. 

 

When the edamame are done, drain them and rinse them in cold water until cool. Drain well. 

 

Toss the edamame into the salad with the dressing and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Braised Tau Pok & Cabbage.

It's a basic dish of stir fried noodles and vegetables... without any noodles. I found tofu sheets in the cooler of an Asian market last time we were in Windsor. It's a big pity I cannot get anything like it around here. The local grocery has a few slabs of basic tofu; take it or leave it, and misses out on the huge range of shapes and textures available. This particular iteration is a large, thin, and rather dense sheet that cuts nicely into strips that have about the texture of cooked noodles, hence this dish. Ideal for anyone trying to avoid carbohydrates, like (*checks notes*) me. There are also dried sheets of tofu, but that's not what you need here. The refrigerated tofu sheets freeze really well, so next time we're in Windsor or some other civilized spot I intend to stock up.

Having said that, next time I might replace half the tofu with a square of ramen noodles; I do miss them even though this was really good. Unlike real noodle dishes, it would also be quite appropriate to serve this with some rice.

 

2 to 4 servings

30 minutes prep time

300 grams (10 ounces) fresh tofu sheet
3 cups shredded savoy cabbage (or other cabbage or greens)
1 large carrot
1 large onion
1 or 2 stalks of celery
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
2 slices fresh ginger optional
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
1/4 soy sauce (light helps keep the salt down)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

While the tofu sheet is folded as it came in the package, cut it into 1/8" strips. Cut them in half again across the middle. This will leave you with a pile of noodle-like tofu shreds.

Prepare the vegetables; shred the cabbage, peel and grate the carrot, peel and cut the onion into slivers, wash and thinly slice the celery, and chop the garlic and ginger fairly finely.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok. Sauté the onion until it begins to soften, then add the remaining vegetables including the garlic and ginger. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of water over them, and cook at high temperature, stirring and tossing constantly until the veggies are softened and the water is evaporated. Remove the veggies from the pan and set them aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Put in the tofu "noodles", and drizzle the soy sauce over them. Cook them, stirring constantly and turning until they are well mixed and heated, then add the vegetables back in. Continue to mix and toss until well blended and hot through, and all the liquid has evaporated. Drizzle with the sesame oil, mix well and serve. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Tomato, Macaroni, & Cheese Soup.

Mujadarra is usually made with rice, not bulgur, but bulgur works very well too, and is a better choice for me nowadays. 

 

Mr. Ferdzy and I both grew up eating brown rice and lentils as it was a popular food with the hippie-health food crowds in which we both ran. It was healthy and very cheap and filling - still is. It wasn't until much later I discovered that the best part of the combination was the caramelized onions. Of course, unlike the base they take a fair bit of time and attention, generally lacking on the part of frazzled parents. I find I can get a lot of other things done in the kitchen while they cook, though; emptying or loading the dishwasher, wiping the counters, checking the fridge for science experiments, or if all else fails I sit at the table with a book in between the stirrings of the onions.

 

4 servings

1 hour prep time

 

 

2/3 cup green or brown lentils

2/3 cup coarse bulgur

1 or 2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups water

 

Rinse the lentils and bulgur; drain well. Put them in a rice cooker with the bay leaves, salt, and water. Turn on and let them cook until done. If done before the onions, keep them warm. 

3 medium-large onions

3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

a little salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

a little parsley to garnish 

Peel the onions and cut them in half from pole to pole. Cut them in half again, if the onions are large, then slice them into half or quarter moon pieces, thin but not in shavings. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions soften and reduce in volume, and take on a golden colour. This cannot be hurried, and will take 30 to 40 minutes, more likely 40 minutes. If they are browning too quickly, reduce the heat. Season with a little salt early in the process to help draw out the liquid from them. Add the other seasonings close to the end. 

When the onions are ready, remove about 1/3 or 1/2 of them to a small plate. Mix the cooked lentils and bulgur into the remaining onions in the pan, and let it all heat through and get well amalgamated. Serve with the remaining onions spread over the top, and a sprinkling of chopped parsley. 

Last year at this time I made Green Beans in Savory Sauce.

I found this simple little soup in an old Canadian cook book. Most of them contain recipes which now fall somewhere between thoroughly obsolete and utterly boring, so it's always a bit of an exciting moment when I find something that looks serviceable. However, a little while later I found the same recipe in a just slightly older cook book called French Household Cooking, put out by Country Life in 1908. Tsk, tsk.

 

The first recipe was much simplified in transition, and it changed again in my hands. I thought it needed some goosing up in the way of seasonings and some acid to sharpen it. The original made use of late summer produce, and I'm sure it's delicious fresh from the garden, but it makes a quick, easy and tasty winter soup with frozen beans and canned tomatoes.

 

4 to 8 servings

30 minutes prep time NOT including cooking the beans

 

3/4 cup of white beans, cooked

     (about 2 cups cooked white beans)

2 cups bean cooking water OR chicken stock

2 cups diced potatoes

2 cups diced canned tomatoes

2 cups diced frozen green beans

1 medium onion

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons bacon fat OR butter

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed basil

2 tablespoons vinegar OR lemon juice 

The beans need to be cooked in advance; or you can use a tin. Save the bean cooking water for the soup, unless you are using chicken stock. 

Scrub and trim  the potatoes, and peel them if necessary. Cut them into large dice and put them in a heavy-bottomed soup pot with 2 cups bean cooking water or chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until tender. Mash coarsely right in the broth. 

Add the white beans, the tomatoes, and the green beans chopped into short lengths. Set the soup to simmer. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion finely. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Heat the fat or butter in a skillet and cook the onion over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and reduced in volume. Add the garlic and basil, and cook for another minute or so. Add these to the soup, and deglaze the pan with a little of the broth, adding it back in when you are done.

Season the soup with salt and pepper as needed, and add the vinegar or lemon juice. Let it simmer for a few minutes until the raw scent of the vinegar (if that's what you used) is gone. Serve hot.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Lentil, Buckwheat & Walnut Loaf. 

This is a pretty standard, even stripped-down, tofu marinade. I've decided I don't like to add herbs, or spices, or in particular garlic, because mostly they are inclined to scorch, however cooked. More flavour comes in with a sauce that gets served over the tofu. In this case I used Ginger-Peanut Sauce, but there are quite a number that will be suitable. I've been making the Ginger-Peanut Sauce with less water and adding a bit of chile-garlic sauce to it.

I've tried baking marinated tofu, and I've tried pan-frying marinated tofu, and those both work perfectly well. It turns out, though, that this is the easiest to do and to clean up. It will take longer than you think, particularly if you want some nice dark grill marks on your tofu - I certainly do - and it will remove quite a bit of moisture from the tofu making it particularly dense and chewy, which I also really like. On the other hand, 20 minutes isn't long and you will need that time in most cases to assemble whatever you are going to serve with it, if not longer.

A waffle iron would achieve the same results as the panini press, only with cross-hatches. Eight slices cut in the same orientation as a loaf of bread is what fits into my fairly small one, but next time I think I would cut each slice into 2 to 4 pieces as well. It depends how you want to serve it. If I had put it into sandwiches for instance, the larger slices would have been ideal.

 

2 to 3 servings

1 hour plus to marinate

about 20 minutes to grill

 

400 grams (14 ounces) extra-firm tofu

3 tablespoons strong soy sauce (tamari)

3 tablespoons apple cider OR rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup, OR very dark brown sugar, OPTIONAL

1 to 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

 

Drain and blot the tofu quite dry. Cut it into 8 to 12 slices (keeping in mind how they will fit in your panini press). Put them in a zip-lock bag, or snug, flat bottomed bowl, and add the soy sauce and vinegar, and the sweetener if you are so inclined. Marinate for at least one hour, up to overnight. 

Brush the panini grill with oil, and pre-heat it. Drain and gently blot the tofu slices, and arrange them in the press in a single layer. Cook for about 20 minutes. Serve with rice or noodles, vegetables, and a sauce of your choice. 

Lasts year at this time I made Peanut Butter & Jam Crisp.

It's the end of the year, so it's the end of the year lucky bean dish. This traditional Slovakian dish usually has a variety of smoked pork products added to it, but I didn't happen to have any and wanted to keep it a little lighter. It's still a pretty substantial meal. I did use some bacon fat, but some kind of vegetable oil is all it needs to be vegetarian. If you want to use some meat, cut it in chunks (unless it's on the bone) and cook it with the beans once the water has been changed. 

I have to say though, my end of the year lucky bean dishes are not doing the trick. I would be happier to see the end of 2021 if I thought 2022 would be any better; I think it's going to take more than beans though. Here's to good luck to us all...

 

4 servings

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time 

NOT including cooking the beans

 

1 cup dried borlotti or pinto beans

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium onions

1 medium carrot

2 or 3 medium potatoes

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoons bacon fat OR mild vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika

1/4 to 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

1/3 cup tomato sauce

2 cups sauerkraut

1 tablespoon vinegar (optional)

Cover the dry beans generously with water, then bring them to a boil and boil one minute. Remove them from the heat, cover them, and let them soak for 2 hours to overnight. Drain them and add enough water to them to cover by about an inch. Add the salt. Simmer until tender, stirring regulary; about an hour. Or, cook them in an Instant Pot for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to release naturally. This can be done up to a day ahead. 

Peel and dice the onions. Peel and grate or dice the carrot. Wash, trim, peel if you like, and cut the potatoes into chunks. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Heat the fat or oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook the onions and carrots, stirring regularly, until softened and slightly reduced. Add the garlic, bay leaves, paprika, and Aleppo pepper and mix in well. Add the cooked beans with their cooking liquid, and the tomato sauce, and mix well. Mix in 1/2 of the sauerkraut. Add the potatoes when they are ready. Simmer the beans for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture is thick and well-amalgamated. Keeping in mind that there is a little more sauerkraut to be added, taste and decide if you want it a little more sour, in which case add a spoonful of vinegar.

Once the beans have been added, put the potatoes in a separate pot and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil and boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. Drain them and add them to the stew. 

Add the final cup of sauerkraut just before you are ready to serve, and allow it to just heat through.

This keeps and re-heats well, as with most bean dishes. 

Last year at this time I made Lentils with Smoked Sausage.

I have come to love roasted salads in the late fall and winter; they do such an excellent job of hitting the sweet spot between hot and hearty fare, and a healthy pile of vegetables. Za'atar and tahini give this one a Middle-Eastern twist, although the veg are right out of the garden.  

In theory, you could make the dressing while the roasted vegetables cool slightly, but it's better to make it earlier, as soon as they go into the oven, so the flavours can blend and settle a bit.

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time 

3/4 teaspoon coriander seed

3/4 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon rubbed savory

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sumac

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grind the coriander and cumin seeds, then mix them with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 

2 cups cooked, well-drained chick peas

4 to 6 shallots

1 large carrot

1/4 cup olive oil

4 to 5 cups (1 kilo; 2 pounds) sliced Brussels sprouts

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the chick peas over it. Peel and sliver the shallots, and add them. Peel and thinly slice the carrot, and add it. Drizzle them all with the olive oil and mix, then sprinkle over the za'atar and mix again. Spread them all out as evenly as you can. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, wash, trim, and slice the Brussels sprouts into 2 to 4 slices each, depending on size. Mix them in with the roasting vegetables and return the pan to the oven to roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are browned in spots and the chick peas are dry and a bit crispy. Let rest for 10 minutes. 

1 large clove of garlic

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

the juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons mayonnaise (light is fine)

 

Peel and mince the garlic and place it in a small bowl. Grate in the lemon zest. Add the salt and pepper. Add the tahini and mustard and mix it all to a smooth paste. 

 

Mix in the lemon juice a little at a time to keep the dressing smooth and lump free. Once it is all in, mix in the mayonnaise. 

 

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or plates, and drizzle with the dressing. Serve while still a little warm.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Tau Pok & Brussels Sprouts.  

It's amusing with what enthusiasm we look forward to starting the garden season each year, and with what wild - if enervated - enthusiasm we look forward to it ending. As I type this, I reckon we have 3 more days of concentrated effort and we will be done for the year. And how nice that will be! 

The garden is looking quite different from the way it started off, structurally speaking. In that there is a lot more - Mr. Ferdzy has the anti-deer and rabbit wall up; he wants to get another load of gravel next year to pile it higher but it is otherwise done. Of course, we didn't see a single deer this summer, although the rabbits continue very plentiful. One downside of the fence is that the voles have moved in in hordes - I guess it makes good protection from predators!

A closer look at the compost pile. Two-thirds of it is composting materials in various stages, the other third is woodchips from last years' tree cutting extravaganza. So also composting materials, really. They were mostly dumped on the lawn and Mr. Ferdzy - in his copious spare time, *cough* - has been moving them into the official compost complex. It's all off, and the lawn has been reseeded. I spent a little time pulling out all the weeds that were growing up around it and it is looking tidier than it has in a while, even though it is full to bursting with all the plants we've been pulling out as they are done.

I'm always amazed at how persistently this particular strawberry patch flowers. The latest strawberries are slow to ripen as the days shorten and temperatures cool, and the voles have gotten almost all of them. This flower is unlikely to end as a fruit at this point, although if I had a bit more good window space in the house I'd be very tempted to try some in a pot.

As for the main garden, it's getting to have that "done" look. We still have to dig leeks, rutabaga, and carrots. Brussels sprouts and cabbages will get harvested at the last moment, and for the Brussels sprouts at least, that may mean after it actually snows some.That lush patch of parsley in the middle will also be pickable right up to snow time.

Brussels sprouts are very battered by the now endemic swede midge, and they started late to form as a result of them as well. However, it looks like we will get some. This variety is Early Half Tall - a descriptive but not poetic name - and it has done notably better for us than the much more widely available Long Island Improved.

The sorghum looks spectacular but I am not at all convinced it is ripe yet. Time has run out, though. I will cut it at the last moment and put the stems in a bucket, and see if it will dry down to a usable state. I guess we could grow them better in a year with more heat units, but as we know, better years are by no means more prevalent than the kind we got this year. We'll see. It will have to be fabulous - very unlikely - for us to want to grow it again. 

Potatoes are out, onions are out, sweet potatoes are out, garlic is long out; all that's left in the root section are carrots and rutabaga, along with some spinach planted in the ex garlic bed. Actually, the photo shows some beets, on the far right, but they are out too - what the pestilant little voles didn't eat of them, anyway. 

We hoped to remove the old asparagus beds this year, seen in the background, but ho-hum. Better luck next year.

As usual, we got no kiwi fruit. The vines look better than they have yet, and we got a few (female only) blossoms last year. This year I think the late, hard frost we  had put paid to any idea of that. Maybe next year...!

I was able to get such a clear shot of the kiwi trellis because we have had a line of hazelnut shrubs cut down between it and the main garden. They were nice, and the squirrels loved them, but the last 2 vegetable beds nearest to them were becoming less and less productive every year. We got NO butternut squash last year, and a pretty feeble harvest of potatoes this year, and yeah. They had to go.

Pink celery! I haven't even tried it yet. It's smaller than regular celery but it sure is pink! I've planted it with some other celery and am going to leave them to cross next year. Let's see if it can't get to be a little bigger and possibly more tender. I may not have tried it, but it looks a little hard somehow. I may be wrong. I do need to try a few stems while it's still in good condition.

When I was cutting down the peony seedlings we found one of the voles nesting area. Mr. Ferdzy put out traps, but alas - it appears they have already vacated. Trying to trap the little buggers has been an exercise in extreme frustration, but we are going to have to find a way to do it next year; they are doing really quite impressive amounts of damage. 

And to end the year on a happy note: our biggest bean crop ever! To be fair, we did our biggest bean planting ever too. We got 30 2-cup jars (15 litres). That will give us 2 servings each, every week, all year, plus a little bit over. Kahnawake was the clear winner, with 4 jars produced in a 4' x 5' section, with Anseloni's Bologna hot on its heels with about 3 1/4. Dolloff dies down early - it can be relied upon in any season - and still produced a respectable 3 jars. Deseronto Potato was strangely poor, with less than one jar, and Octarora produced scads of beans - but they are small enough it amounted to only 2 jars. 

The later-planted bush beans (that go in after the early peas come out) didn't do so well, what with the cool, rainy later summer and fall that we have had, which allowed viruses and fungi to run rampant. However, Arikara Yellow did well enough, Iroquois Cornbread did well enought to be planted again, and Dutch Brown did quite well too, in spite of being near one of the vole nesting spots and being badly eaten. Kabarika also did quite well. All but the Arikara Yellow are new beans to us, so we'll see how they are for eating. I'm looking forward to it, as I inventory seeds and we plan next years garden.

I'm always interested in a new take on the good old lentil loaf. They are so convenient, being usually straightforward to make (if requiring a certain amount of time) and large enough for several meals, and they usually freeze quite well. (Haven't tried with this one, but I don't see why not.) In addition to good taste, they are entirely healthy. Some leeks, Turkish seasonings, and yogurt sauce make this one very nice indeed. A little salad or green vegetable will round out the meal.

 

4 to 6 servings

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the lentils OR cooling time

 

 

1 cup green or brown lentils

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

Put these into a rice cooker, and cook.

500 grams leeks

1 medium onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

2 tablespoons chick pea or lentil flour

1/4 cup tomato sauce OR 1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 large eggs 

Wash and trim the leeks. Cut each one in half lengthwise, then chop into 1/4" slices. Put them in a colander and wash and drain them again. Peel and finely chop the onion. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened, then add the leeks and cook for another 10 minutes or a bit longer, until very soft but not browned. Add the salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper, and chick pea flour, mix in well, and cook for another minute or two. 

 

Add the tomato sauce or paste; if using paste it should be first dissolved in a little water. Mix in well and cook until the mixture is thick and not liquidy. Turn the vegetables into a mixing bowl and mix in the leeks and cooked lentils. When the mixture is cool enough, beat in the eggs. 

 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F, and oil a large (10") pie plate. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until firmly set. Let cool to warm or room-temperature before serving. Keep leftovers covered and refrigerated. 

1 cup thick yogurt

1 clove garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Line a strainer with a coffee filter. Place the yogurt in the strainer and strain, over a bowl, until the it is quite thick. Mince the garlic with the salt, then mix them into the yogurt. Keep refrigerated until wanted.

Last year at this time I made Lemon Mayonnaise Broiled Trout.

We're cleaning up the garden and gleaning the last few eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. Hence this dish. Not too much to say about it; it's a tasty dish of chickpeas stewed with vegetables. It takes some time but is not too heavy on the work requirements. Serve it with some rice or bread as a meal in itself, or a little salad on the side would add some greenery and crunch. 

 

3 to 4 servings

1 hour 30 minutes plus - 45 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the chick peas

 

3 cups cooked chick peas

500 grams (2 medium; 1 pound) eggplant 

1 medium onion

1 medium red OR green pepper

3 to 4 cloves of garlic

500 grams (4 medium; 1 pound) tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

the juice of 1/2 lemon

2 to 3 tablespoons minced parsley

Cook the chick peas - you will need about 1 1/2 cups raw - by soaking them for several hours to overnight, then changing the water and simmering them for 1 to 2 hours until tender. I've been cooking them in the instant pot for 8 minutes, but I soak them in boiling (to start) water for only a couple of hours - 5 or 6 minutes will likely be enough if you soak them overnight. This can be done up to a day ahead.

 

Put a pot of water on to boil. 

Wash, trim, and chop the eggplant into bite-sized pieces. (You could peel it first if you like.) Peel and chop the onion. Wash, trim, core, and chop the pepper. Peel and mince the garlic.

Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer them to a bowl of cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel and chop them. 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a shallow 2-quart pan that can go from stove-tip to the oven, over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant until softened and lightly browned all over, turning as needed to cook all sides. Transfer them out of the pan for the moment. 

Add the remaining oil to the pan, and add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and spices, and stir in until fragrant; about another minute. Add the tomatoes and mix in well. Remove the pan from the heat. 

Mix in the cooked chick peas and eggplant, adding a little of the cooking water if the tomatoes don't look like they will be juicy enough. There should be just enough liquid to keep the chick peas from drying out as they bake, and you can add more as they cook if necessary, so err a bit on the side of caution. Add the lemon juice. 

Bake the chick peas for 45 minutes to an hour, until moist and saucy, avoiding both soupiness and dryness. Stir several times and check the liquid level as they cook. Garnish with a little chopped parsley and serve. 

Last year at this time I made Melanzane alla Pizzaiolla.

Real falafels are not terribly difficult to make, but they do require the chick peas to be soaked in advance, and then they must be mixed in a food processor. All of which is very do-able! But sometimes you want something just a little simpler. Or maybe you are just out of chick peas, but have some quinoa, in which case you could make these instead. I don't think they are quite as good as the real thing, but somehow just cooking the quinoa in advance then mixing by hand makes them feel easier. They are still pretty darn good! Moreover, this is an excellent way to use up leftover cooked quinoa.

I do assume you have chick pea flour on hand; I use it for just about every kind of fritter and lots of other things too and could not get along without it. 

Unless and until you wrap these up in pita bread, they are gluten free. I haven't made these into a patty and eaten them in a bun yet, but I am very likely to. In that case I expect to get 6 patties.

 

The quinoa has some of the sandy texture of the soaked chick peas in the original falafel recipe but they are a little softer in texture. The flavour is really pretty close. 

 

I made these twice before posting; the first time they fell apart in the pan as I had not added enough chick pea flour. On my second go 'round, they were fine, but I found that, unlike the first time, I had to add a little water. This had less to do with the amount of chick pea flour, and more to do with differing moisture levels in the cooked quinoa. The second batch of quinoa sat a little longer, I think. In any case, you may or may not need to add some water at the end of mixing - it must be moist enough to form a ball when squeezed, but really no moister.

 

4 to 6 servings

45 minutes prep time - NOT including cooking the quinoa

 

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup finely diced white OR green onion

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1/4 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (to taste)

1 cup chick pea flour

none to 2 tablespoons water

oil to fry

 

To cook the quinoa: it is easiest to use leftover cooked quinoa, but to produce 2 cups cooked you will need approximately 3/4 cup of raw quinoa. To cook 3/4 cup quinoa, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 1/4 cups water. Cook it in the rice cooker, or in a small pot on the stove over low heat (once boiling); it will take approximately 20 minutes and should be cooled to room temperature before you start the falafels. 

Peel or trim the onion and chop it finely. Wash and dry the cilantro and parsley and chop them finely. Put them in a mixing bowl with the prepared quinoa. Be sure the quinoa is broken down so each of the grains is separate, not stuck into large clumps. 

Grind the salt and cumin seed, and add them to the bowl with the Aleppo pepper and chick pea flour. Mix well. 

If the cooked quinoa is moist enough that the mixture can be squeezed together to form a ball, do not add any water, but mix by hand until you have stiff, not very crumbly dough. If it is too dry for this, add a little water, a spoonful at a time, until you are able to get it to hold together, but do not add enough to make it moist and soft - it should be quite stiff. 

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. 

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or aebleskiver (or appam) pan over medium heat. If you are using the latter, a teaspoon or so in each compartment will be sufficient; otherwise add enough to shallow-fry the falafels. Cook over medium heat until browned and crisp, turning to cook evenly all over. They will need 2 or 3 minutes per side; if they are browning too fast reduce the heat. Set them on paper towel as they are cooked. 

Serve warm or at room temperature, with salad or wrapped in pita (with some salad). If you like, serve with one or both of the following sauces. 

1/4 cup tahini

the juice of 1 small lemon

a little water

Mix the tahini with a little of the lemon juice until smooth; continue adding and mixing until all the juice is in. Slowly add a little water and continue mixing until the sauce is the texture of mayonnaise. 

chile-garlic sauce

mayonnaise

Put as much chile-garlic sauce as you think is likely to be eaten in a small bowl. Add about an equal amount of mayonnaise or a bit less, and mix. If you think it needs more mayonnaise add more to achieve the balance you like. 

Last year at this time I made Beet Salad with Red Onions & Parsley.

At this time of July the peas are slowing down, and the beans and zucchini have not really gotten going yet, at least in my garden. However, there's lots of purslane. Lots and lots of purslane. Following my new policy of actually eating some quantity of it, it has gone from being an annoying weed to, well, being an annoying weed that I can eat. 

 

Once this soup came to my attention as a result of searching for purslane recipes, I found quite a number of (fairly similar) versions out there. If you don't have purslane, for instance, Swiss chard seems to be a pretty common substitute. All the recipes I saw want you to cook the chick peas, lentils, and wheat separately to which I said, not bloody likely. The chick peas do need to be cooked on their own, but that can easily be resolved by using a tin of them. People do use different tomato products, or none, in this. I used some of my own tomato sauce and thought it was a good addition.

I should note that I used and am calling for bulgur, but most recipes call for ashura wheat, which appears to me to be a kind of soft wheat berry. As ever, since there were no wheat berries in the cupboard, but I did have bulgur, I used bulgur. Wheat berries might need a little longer cooking.

 

Maraş is a city in southeastern Turkey, north of Aleppo and Gaziantep. It is now known as Kahramanmaraş, but people don't seem to have transferred that name to the soup. In Turkey this is a winter soup, not surprisingly, but here you are not going to get purslane or Swiss chard in the winter.  It mostly seems to be served without any yogurt, but perhaps because we are eating it in the summer, we found it an excellent addition. Ours was plain, but if you feel deprived of garlic (ha!) you could add a minced clove and a bit of salt to about 1 cup of yogurt. Speaking of which, 1 head of garlic is not a typo - 5 to 7 cloves is what you want.

 

4 to 6 servings

40 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

PLUS time to cook the chick peas and soak the bulgur and lentils 

2 cups (1 540 ml tin) cooked chick peas

1/4 cup bulgur

1/4 cup red lentils

3 cups water

 

You can cook the chick peas yourself, or use a large tin. 

 

Put the bulgur and lentils in heavy-bottomed soup pot, and add the water. Bring it up to a boil, then cover and let them soak overnight.  

The next day, add the chick peas with cooking liquid to cover them, and simmer until the lentils disintegrate (probably not much more than half an hour).

 

1 head garlic

3 or 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon (more or less) Aleppo pepper

2 tablespoons sumac

 

Peel and mince the garlic. Wash and pick over the mint, and chop it finely. Set both aside. 

 

Mix the other spices in a small bowl and set them aside. 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons tomato paste OR 1/3 cup tomato sauce

2 cups picked over purslane leaves 

OR finely chopped Swiss chard leaves and stems

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

yogurt to garnish (optional) 

 

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the tomato sauce and let it simmer until thick, then add the spices and cook into the oil for a minute or so. Add the garlic and mint and cook for another minute or so, stirring constantly, until the garlic no longer smells raw. Remove from the heat at once and add to the soup. 

 

If you use tomato paste rather than sauce, add it immediately after the spices go in rather than before as it does not need to cook down.  

The soup can be finished now, or held until closer to serving time. 

At some point by now, you should have washed and chopped the purslane or chard very finely. Add it to the soup and cook it in until done to your liking; about 5 to 8 minutes for me. Add the lemon juice. Add a bit more water if the soup seems too thin, and a little more salt if needed. It will depend on how much was used in cooking the chick peas.

 

Serve, if you like, with a dollop of thick yogurt. Add a minced clove of garlic and a little salt to the yogurt or not, as you like.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Eggs with Peas Chinese Style.