Superbowls and Just Desserts

A last posting of hearty, heartwarming, one pot or pan winter fare before we lighten up with New Year and Valentine's Day joys of the table.  Fresh seasonal food is likely at its lowest ebb but that doesn't mean we can't eat colorfully, healthfully and delightfully. I had a vegetarian crew here yesterday and the table was vividly laden with a feast of dishes I posted earlier: black bean chili with sour cream for topping (black and white), cornmeal spoonbread,(bright sunny yellow), fried plantains with garlic and allspice (lovely ecru), mango chutney (orange and green), tomatillo/avocado salsa (green) and blue corn tortilla chips (purple blue)--followed by bright orange clementines and chocolate truffles. No winter blahs.
 
Russian cabbage soup
A meatless cabbage soup with a touch of sauerkraut for all the ferment fans. It is not totally vegetarian because the Russian recipe calls for beef broth but you can make it vegetarian by using a hearty vegetable broth and "beefing" up the spices. 
serves 4

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 med yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 sm leek, white part only, very thinly sliced in disks
1 med carrot, peeled and thinly sliced in disks
1 sm head white cabbage, shredded
1 tsp caraway seed
2 tsp celery seed
4 c (1 qt) beef broth or bone broth
1 c water 
1/2 c sauerkraut, drained
1 tomato, peeled and chunked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Garnish: fresh dill, finely chopped
Sour cream

Melt the butter in a medium stock pot or heavy gauge casserole. Add the onion, leek and carrot with a good grind of black pepper and a pinch of salt.  Sauté over med heat until they begin to soften, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the caraway and celery seed. Pour in the beef broth and water. Bring to a boil. Add the cabbage, tomato and sauerkraut. Cover the pot and simmer 50 minutes until cabbage is very tender. Check for salt and adjust if necessary.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a heavy sprinkle of fresh dill.

Split pea soup with ham

not my photo

Fresh split pea soup with ham used to be every New England Yankee's favorite January home companion. It certainly has all the virtues of a good New Englander: it's robust, mellow, thrifty, consistent in texture and unpretentious. It's the ultimate homemade. And often a metaphor for the local weather.

 It helps to have the remnants of a great smoked ham on hand for starters. And finally, it's probably good for your body after all the partying and heavy foods because split peas are thought to lower cholesterol. This soup can be reheated for days and also freezes.
serves 6

1 lb split green peas
2 qts water or veg broth or a mix of both
1 bay leaf
1 meaty smoked ham bone
1 med yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced 
1 lg carrot, peeled and diced
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp dill seed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or cilantro (your flavor preference)
Salt to your taste (depends on how salty the ham bone is)

Rinse the peas under cold water and pick out any stones. In a stock or other large soup pot, combine the water/broth and split peas. Bring to a boil and boil  2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover the pot and let stand one hour.

Add the ham bone, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, celery seed, 1 tsp thyme, dill seed, coriander and parsley. Cover the pot and simmer 2 1/2 hrs.  You don't have to pay attention to it.

Remove the ham bone and bay leaf. Pull any remaining meat off the bone and set aside. Add the remaining thyme and black pepper. Taste for salt and adjust. Using an immersion blender or else a food processor, purée the soup. Add the ham back in and return to the stove. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the fresh herb you chose and serve. It's very unorthodox but very tasty to serve with garlic croutons.

Red Cabbage, White Bean and Sausage Soup

not my photo

People who like hearty, unpretentious fare will fall for this almost fork-thick melange of winter staples that could pass for a gluten-free casserole.  It's actually a great dish to make days ahead because the flavors set up marvelously after two days in the fridge. It's perfect for a party or potluck (where people tend to bring starchy fare). 
serves 6

3 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil if you prefer
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 med yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/2 lg head (1 1/3lbs) red cabbage, shredded
1 tsp caraway seed
1-2 tsp salt (depending on saltiness of the beef broth)
1/2 tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper
1 14oz can or box of whole peeled tomatoes with juice
2 c beef broth
3 c water
2 cans cannellini beans, drained (these are white beans; use what you can find)
1 lb mild sausage like Kielbasa, Luganega,  smoked German garlic

In a heavy gauge casserole or soup pot, melt the butter or heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery seed, thyme and garlic. Add the onions and celery and sauté 5 min until they are soft. (Don't cheat here because you'll lose flavor later.) Stir in the cabbage and stir to coat. Add salt, pepper and caraway seed. Sauté 3-5 minutes until cabbage starts to soften. Add tomatoes with juice, stir and cook a minute, still on med heat.  Add broth and water, stir to incorporate all ingredients, bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 1/2 hrs stirring occasionally. 

Slice the sausage into thin disks. Brown it in a lightly oiled skillet and drain of all grease.
Purée one can of white beans in a food processor. Rinse and drain the other can. Very lightly salt.
Stir the bean purée and thent he whole beans into the soup. Add the sausage. Cover and cook 15 min.
Taste for seasoning and adjust.  Now you can either serve or cool and refrigerate to let the flavors really set up.  Reheat by putting the covered pot over low heat.

Kwaati 

This amazing nine bean/lentil soup from Kathmandu is considered a restorative tonic during the change of seasons and for recuperating patients. Made the traditional way, the sprouted beans become magical energy sources and the proportions have been scientifically calculated for centuries for greatest medicinal effect. And still it's mighty tasty! This is vegan so perfect for everybody.  It's in my book, Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. (That is not my photo because I can't find my photo.)

The traditional way to make this is to soak the beans and sprout them, which increases their nourishment. But this can take three days.  So this is is the “can opener” version for those who don’t have that time.  For those who do, soak and sprout all the beans, then follow this recipe using a pressure cooker. That’s what today’s Newari do.

Serves 8-10

¼ cup dried whole mung beans, soaked overnight

¼ cup soybeans, soaked overnight

2 tbsp mustard, corn, sunflower, safflower or olive oil

1 lg onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1” fresh ginger root, peeled and minced or grated

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 bay leaves

1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained

1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained

1 15 oz can cannellini or any white beans, drained

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp arbol chili powder (or any chili powder that’s mildly hot)

1 tsp salt

1cup water

3 cups vegetable broth (or water)

fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, chopped

1 tsp. caraway seeds, lightly fried in 1 tsp butter/ghee for optional garnish

Drain soybeans and mung beans. Put soybeans in a saucepan, cover well with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook 30 minutes. Add mung beans and cook another 20 minutes or until both beans are soft but not mushy. Drain.

In a soup pot or large casserole, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté 4-5 minutes until onion is soft and golden. Stir in fenugreek and add bay leaves.  Cook 30 seconds.

Sherry Lentil Soup

This is lighter than all the above but probably the tastiest with its bold flavors of sherry and garlic. All that garlic, orange juice and parsley is great for your lungs and immune system right now. (See last week's post.) Other good news: It's thicker than ordinary lentil soup and it freezes perfectly although it may have to be diluted with more sherry on the reheat. To make this vegetarian/vegan, omit the sausage. It's still a great soup.

serves 4-6

1 lb lentils, cleaned

12 lg garlic cloves, peeled

2 med onions, coarsely chopped

2 celery stalks, coarsely diced

2 tbsp cracked black pepper

1/2 c chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 1/2 c dry sherry

1/2 c orange juice

1 lg carrot, peeled and diced

2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cumin

1 whole cloves

4 c (1 qt) vegetable broth

2 c water

1 lg sausage (any kind: mild chorizo, kielbasa, bratwurst, German smoked garlic, Italian)

2 bay leaves

Peel and lightly crush the garlic cloves. Put them in a large soup pot with the lentils, onion, celery, carrot, salt, ground cumin, whole cloves, broth and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, and reduce heat to simmer/low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lentils have soften, 30-35 minutes. (Note: overcooked brown lentils turn an unappealing pallid gray so be careful. Green lentils may require a few more minutes of cooking.) Remove from heat and cool 30 minutes. Then remove 1 c of lentils and set aside. Remove bay leaves and discard.

While that's happening, prick the sausage with a fork three times and boil it five minutes to release the fat. Cool and slice into thin disks and brown in a little oil.

Put the remaining contents of the pot in the bowl of a food processor or blender  or use an immersion  blender. Add the cracked black pepper and parsley and process to a thick purée. With the machine still running, pour in the sherry to thin the soup. Then do the same with the orange juice. If the soup seems too thick still add either 1/4 c sherry or water with a pinch of salt.

Return the soup to the pot, stir in the lentils set aside and the browned sausage.  Simmer to reheat thoroughly. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.  Serve with crusty bread.
NOTE: lentils will continue to thicken so to reheat you may need to dilute with orange juice, sherry, vegetable broth or water.

Kashmiri Compote

Another glorious and healthy recipe from Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking: dried fruits and nuts made glamorous. A perfect finale to the superbowls above or the winter soups of the past weeks.

Serves 6

2 tbsp ghee or butter

¼ cup whole almonds

¼ cup cashews, lightly toasted

½ cup raisins

1/3 cup coconut, chopped or shredded

8 dried dates, pitted

10 dried small apricots

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

½ cup water

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated or turbinado sugar

½ tsp ground cardamom or 6 crushed pods

½ tsp saffron threads

1 tsp fresh orange peel, minced

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

optional garnishes: candied ginger, fresh mint leaves, fried cheese.

In a medium saucepan, heat the ghee over medium flame. Add almonds, cashews, raisins, coconut, dates, apricots and peppercorns. Lightly sauté one minute. Add water, sugars, orange peel, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir until the water boils. Lower heat and cook five minutes.

Soak the saffron in 2 tsp of hot water, crush it and pour into the fruits. Stir in lemon juice and continue cooking another 5 minutes, until the juice has become syrupy.  Remove from heat. Fish out the cinnamon stick. Serve warm plain or garnished.

Lemon Squares

These are kid stuff, that easy to make. Their citrus tartness is welcome after a hearty superbowl and their sunny color brightens the day.
makes 9

1 stick unsalted butter (4 oz)
1/4 c powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 tbsp + 1 tsp grated lemon peel
3/4 c + 2 tbsp all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 c fine whole wheat flour
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of salt
2 extra lg eggs
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 c granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter an 8" square baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl or food processor, cream butter and confectioners sugar.  Add 2 tbsp lemon peel, the flours, cloves and salt. Process just enough to blend thoroughly. Press this dough into the greased pan, distributed evenly. Bake at 350º 20 minutes.

While it bakes, in a med bowl beat the eggs with the granulated sugar, lemon juice and 2 tbsp flour until smooth. When the crust is ready, pour this egg mixture into it, shaking the pan to distribute evenly. Return to oven and bake another 20-25 min until the mixture is dry like jello and the crust is starting to brown at the edges.

Cool and sprinkle lightly with the remaining powdered sugar. Cut three across and three down to make 9 squares.

Pear Spice Cake
For the dairy free, yet lusciously moist, a cake that showcases the winter spices which warm our body. It travels and freezes well which makes it primo for potluck. It's terrific coffee cake.

1 1/2 c veg oil
3/4 c granulated sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
3 extra lg eggs
3 c all purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 lg bartlett or other firm pears, diced into 3 cups
1 c almonds, slivered
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325º. Butter and flour a large bundt pan.
In a lg mixing bowl combine oil and sugar using low speed until totally blended. Add eggs one by one, mixing on medium speed after each one.

Sift together flour, baking soda salt, spices. Slowly add this to the oil mixture at medium speed. Carefully mix in the vanilla. With a wooden spoon fold in the pears and almonds. Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake at 325º 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. It will start to pull away from the sides when done.  Remove from oven and cool while making the glaze.

Note: The glaze has cream and butter so if you want dairy-free don't glaze this cake.
Glaze
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp powdered sugar (confectioner's)
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp granulated white sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
pinch ground cloves

In a heavy pan over medium heat melt butter and sugars together. Add cloves, cream and vanilla. Bring to a boil and boil 60 second. Remove from heat immediately. Spoon over the cake top and let it drip down the sides.