I am still traveling so no photos as they are stored elsewhere. Sorry for the oops!
Here’s for the egg yolks and greens all at once:
Baked eggs with greens
This is a brunch dish you can also use for supper. Serve it with crusty bread and citrus salad (recipe posted several times already.)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, peeled and chopped into roughly 1cm dice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Salt
1 3/4 lbs Swiss or rainbow chard, stalks and leaves separated, stalks cut into 2” chunks, leaves roughly chopped
3½ tsp ground cumin
2 lbs baby spinach
1 1/4 c chicken (or vegetable) stock
6 large eggs
3 tbsp unsalted butter
¾ tsp urfa or Aleppo chili flakes (or half that if using a stronger chili)
1 c Greek-style yogurt
Put the oil, onions, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in high-sided baking tray, then place the tray across two medium-high flames on the stove top, so the heat gets to all corners of it. Sauté five minutes, stirring from time to time, then add the chopped chard stalks and ground cumin. Sauté another five minutes, until the onion and stalks are translucent, then add the chard leaves and sauté five minutes more, until wilted. Add a quarter of the spinach and half the stock, then stir until the spinach wilts; this will make room in the pan for another quarter of the spinach and the remaining stock. Stir again, until wilted, then add the remaining spinach in two batches.
After about 15 minutes, once all the leaves are wilted, stir in a teaspoon of salt and tip everything into a large colander with a bowl underneath to collect the liquid. Return the liquid to the tray and, again over two medium-high flames, reduce the liquid for 15 minutes, until there’s about 1/4 c left. Turn off the heat, stir the leaves into the reduced stock, then make six little indentations in the pile of soft leaves.
Heat the oven to 425º. Carefully break an egg into each hollow (take care not to break the yolks), then cover the tray tightly with tin foil. Bake four minutes, remove the foil and bake for eight or so minutes longer, until the whites are almost set and the yolks still runny (the eggs will carry on cooking outside the oven).
While the eggs are baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan on a medium heat for a minute or two, until it starts to foam and turn golden-brown, stir in the chili and take off the heat. Pour over the eggs when they come from the oven.
Take the tray to the table, spoon dollops of yoghurt around the eggs, trickle the butter on top and serve.
This is another version of the beloved and popular locro de zocalo—pumpkin stew. It’s traditionally served over quinoa but you can use rice too. Either way you get a colorful and very nutritious vegetarian meal.
Serves 4-6
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp amarillo chili paste (see below)
½ tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 lb pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2” cubes
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 25mm cubes
1 cup vegetable stock
1.8 oz broad beans
1.8 oz sweetcorn kernels
1.8 oz peas
1/3 cup light cream or evaporated milk
1.8 oz white quinoa, cooked
3.5 oz queso fresco or feta, crumbled
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper
For the chili paste
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 amarillo chillies, or 2 medium-heat red chillies and ½ yellow pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
First, make the amarillo chili paste. Fry the onion over a medium heat for 7-8 minutes until soft, but not browned. Add the garlic and chili, fry for 2-3 minutes. Season, then let it cool completely. Blitz to a smooth paste, then set aside until needed.
Saute the onion in a large saucepan or casserole over a low heat for 10 minutes, or until soft, then add the garlic, 1 tbsp of the chili paste and oregano. Stir 2-3 minutes, until the garlic has softened slightly and everything is well combined.
Add the butternut squash, potato and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the butternut squash and potato are just tender and the liquid has reduced a little.
Add the broad beans, corn kernels, and peas, cover again and simmer 5 minutes more until the broad beans are just tender. Add the cream or evaporated milk and stir to combine. Cook uncovered 1-2 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve in shallow bowls sprinkled with a little chopped parsley, with quinoa and cheese on the side.
This should be served with steamed couscous. You can easily find it in a box with instructions and make it at the last minute.You can add braised collards or steamed kale to get a well balanced, colorful, healthy meal right now.
Serves 4-6
4 6 oz chicken breasts
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp ground ginger
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground cayenne
1 lg onion, sliced into thin disks
1 c chicken broth/stock
6 sprigs cilantro plus 3 more chopped
Salt
1 15oz can apricot halves
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp toasted sliced almonds
In a large lidded frying pan, melt the butter and over low heat add the spices, stirring 1 minute. Increase heat to medium and arrange the chicken breasts in the pan. Cook one minute, then flip them over and cook one minute more. Add onions and cook 5 minutes. Turn the chicken. Add the stock/broth and cilantro sprigs, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer 5 minutes. Flip the chicken again.
Drain the apricots and remove any pits. Cut in half. (You should have quarters.) Arrange cut side down around the chicken and drizzle the honey on them. Cover the pan and simmer 8 minutes. Remove the chicken and flip over the apricots. Cover the pan although there is no heat under it.
Prepare couscous. Arrange it on a large platter
Slice the chicken breasts into thick diagonal strips and arrange on top of the couscous. Top with the apricots, then the toasted almonds and some chopped cilantro leaves to serve.
Roasted winter squash and chickpea soup
This is an Ottolenghi recipe that I’ve slightly altered.
Serves 6
1 small butternut squash, cut in half, seeds removed, peeled and flesh cut into bite-size pieces (you can buy it this way)
¼ c olive oil
Salt and black pepper
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cardamom
2½ tbsp harissa paste
½ tsp rose water
4 c vegetable or chicken stock
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
7 dried apricots, thinly sliced
2 lemons, zest only
1 tbsp cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 c Greek yogurt
Heat the oven to 425º.
Mix the pumpkin with two tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp salt and black pepper. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast 25 minutes, until golden-brown and soft. Set aside.
Put 2 tbsp oil in a large sauté pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the shallots for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until they are soft and caramelized. Add half the garlic, half the cumin, all the cardamom, a teaspoon of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Fry 2 minutes, then stir in
the harissa, rose water, stock, half the chickpeas, the apricots and the lemon zest.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the roasted pumpkin. Cover to keep warm.
Put two tbsp. oil in a medium frying pan on a high heat and, once hot, add the remaining chickpeas, garlic and cumin, ¼ tsp salt and lots more pepper. Fry 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing some of the chickpeas until they are browned and crisp.
Warm the soup through and divide between six bowls. Sprinkle with the chickpea mix, scatter the cilantro on top and serve with the yogurt.
No comments:
Post a Comment