Christmas Brunch

I was scheduled to bake the morning of the 26th, which meant I couldn't do an evening dinner party on Christmas.  And I closed the store on the 24th, so that took out Christmas Eve.  Good thing I'm Jewish.

So I made brunch instead.  Only three of us, so I didn't get too elaborate.  I didn't even create any new recipes.  I kind of modeled it after a tea, but with breakfast and lunch items.  I made a platter for build your own cold cut mini sandwiches, some latkes, a kale and white cheddar frittata, bacon and apple cinnamon rolls, and a keto rosewater-pomegranate cheesecake.  The guests brought grapes.  The goal was minimal leftovers, aka lunch for the rest of the week.

For my own dinner that afternoon (when you're a baker, dinner is around 3pm), I visited the new 99 Ranch that opened a reasonable distance from me.  No more trekking 20 miles.  The main dish was chicken with home-canned sweet and sour sauce, with vegetable fried rice and gingered bok choy for the sides.  Totally basic stuff that didn't require a trip to an ethnic market.  After putting some frozen egg tarts in my cart, I found a packet of 24 tart shells in a different freezer section for $5.  Maybe on a different trip.

This is just the bok choy section

However, I'm glad I went.  It's beautiful, organized, and still has the chain's good prices on specialty items.  There may not be as much of each item because of space restrictions, but the variety is the same.  Next time, I'll go hungry and visit the upstairs food court first.  I need to research recipes for Lunar New Year.

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

Once again, I find myself more excited about the vegetarian dishes I'm making than the meat ones.  Technically, this is just a Greek salad over quinoa, but I really looked forward to figuring out what I wanted in it.

Eight months into this change of dietary habits, I still enjoy Mediterranean foods.  When I'm out, I choose lower carb options.  Like the changes I made that nearly got rid of my migraines, I'm maintaining this lifestyle because I can feel the positive changes.  Still having trouble maintaining my weight, but it doesn't scare me as much because I know I'm not starving myself.  When I get enough protein and not too much simple sugar, I don't get ravenously hungry, just normal hungry.  That is a wonderful side effect for someone who has been hypoglycemic for a couple of decades.  Wish I'd known about this sooner.

*1 C dry quinoa, any color
1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil (salad dressing quality)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tb white wine vinegar
1/2 lb Roma tomatoes, cut in chunks
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
*1 C artichoke hearts, cut in chunks
*2-3 radishes, thinly sliced
*1/2 C Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 C pitted kalamata olives
*1/2 C crumbled feta cheese for garnish

1.  Rinse quinoa until no longer soapy and cook according to package directions.  Fluff and set aside to cool.  This can be a do-ahead, or using leftovers.

2.  To make the dressing, whisk together oil, salt, herbs, lemon juice, and vinegar.  The oil will become solid when refrigerated, but leaving it on the counter for half an hour will allow it to melt.  If using it right away, no problems.

3.  Chop up all your veggies.  For the observant, no, that isn't Italian parsley in the photo, it's celery leaves.  I forgot to buy parsley and have a lot of celery in the back yard.  Haven't managed to germinate any parsley seeds yet.

4.  Spoon cooled quinoa into individual bowls or a large salad bowl.  Arrange vegetables and olives neatly on top.  That's the difference between a "bowl" and a "salad".  Drizzle with the dressing and top with the feta.  Serve as is or refrigerate for later in the day.

Difficulty rating  :)

Vegetable & Bean Casserole

I bought a can of cannellini beans with some great idea of what to do with them and put it on the meal calendar.  No idea what I was going to make.  Probably this, but who knows.

This continued to evolve at the market and as I was throwing things into the saucepan.  I realized later on that I had wanted to use rendered bacon as the fat instead of butter, but by then everything was in the casserole.  Mentioning it as an option and for anyone who doesn't care if this ends up vegetarian.

Lately, I've been dreading doing the dishes.  There aren't any more of them than usual, I just suddenly hate washing them.  I think it's a time management thing, which makes it entirely my own fault.  I've gotten really bad with my motivation and finishing what I set out to do each day.  Maybe should make that part of my New Year's resolutions.  Anyway, I managed to get this recipe down to one saucepan and a casserole, plus the cutting board.

I did use almond meal instead of breadcrumbs as a low-carb thing.  I had made some mince pies and was trying to balance the carb load.  If that isn't an issue for you, absolutely use breadcrumbs or crushed crackers on top.

*1/2 C diced onion
2 Tb butter
salt and pepper to taste
*1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 Tb flour
1 C milk
*1 10-oz brick frozen spinach
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and diced
*1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
*4 oz (about 1 C) shredded white cheddar
*1/4 C almond meal or 1/2 C breadcrumbs

1.  Place unwrapped spinach in an 8x8 casserole and microwave according to package directions.  If you want your sauce extra thick, drain off some of the water.  Set aside and preheat oven to 350º.

2.  In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper and the thyme and cook until fragrant.

3.  Add flour and stir until pasty and cooked.  Add milk in stages, allowing mixture to thicken between additions.

4.  Once sauce is thickened, taste and adjust seasonings, keeping in mind that cheese is salty.  Add diced carrots and the drained beans.  Sprinkle in cheese and allow to melt.

5.  Pour sauce mixture into casserole and stir until mixed with the spinach.  Sprinkle with crumbs and bake until bubbling and golden, about 20 minutes.  You're getting everything to the same temperature and cooking the carrots.  Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Difficulty level  :)

Russian Tea Cakes

 I've done a variation of these Snowballs, European Wedding Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, whatever you want to call them.  They're honestly the easiest Christmas cookie around and everyone loves them.

I did mess with them a little and add some micro chocolate chips, which you can see in the photo, but I usually just add the walnuts.

This post will be a half recipe, which is easy since there's no egg in these.  Just one sheet of cookies in the oven while you're getting dressed for whatever holiday party you forgot to make something for.

1/2 C (1 stick) butter
1/4 C powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1 C + 2 Tb flour
*1/3 C finely chopped walnuts or other nut
dash of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder

1.  Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.

2.  Beat flour into creamed butter, scraping the bowl at least once.  Gently beat in nuts.  Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about half an hour.

3.  Preheat oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment or a baking mat.

4.  Form into 3/4" balls and place at least 1" apart on the sheet.  Bake until pale gold, about 20 minutes.

5.  While still warm, roll in powdered sugar or sprinkle it on top.  Cool on a wire rack before plating.

Makes about 18

Difficulty rating  π

Mincemeat Bars

I saw a different take on thumbprint cookies that is far less labor intensive.  Plus, I'm not a huge fan of cookies that are mostly shortbread.  I like filling.  This way increased the ratio and made them party-friendly.  I switched the filling to mincemeat to make them "Christmas" cookies and here we are.

I can't remember if I've posted the cookie part of the recipe before.  It's the "Cherry Thumbprints" out of the L.A. Times cookie anthology.  The link I found says 2004.  The glaze is my idea.

I did not go shopping before deciding to make these, so I used regular butter instead of European and a touch of milk instead of the cream.  Oh yeah, and erythritol for the granulated sugar.  No idea if it made a difference, but everyone at work loved them.  I doubt any of them had tried mincemeat before, so that was the novelty.

1/2 C (1 stick) European-style unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C sugar
2 Tb brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 Tb heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 C flour
about 1 C mincemeat filling
1/2 C powdered sugar
1-2 tsp *brandy or lemon juice

1.  In stand mixer with the paddle, cream together butter, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until fluffy.  Scrape down bowl.

2.  Add egg and beat 1 minute, until smooth.  Add cream and vanilla and beat in.  Scrape sides of bowl and beat again.  Add flour and beat until combined.

3.  Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.  It will not be completely firm.

4.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.  Separate dough into 2 pieces.  Shape each into a log about a foot long and lay down on sheet.  Create a channel along the length of each log.  Fill with mincemeat to the top of the groove.

5.  Bake 16-20 minutes, until puffed and golden.  Watch the bottoms.  I rotated the tray halfway through because I was putting more cookies in the oven.  No idea if it helped.  Cool on the tray.

6.  Stir together powdered sugar and brandy until it drizzles in a ribbon from the spoon.  You can use a bit of water or milk if it takes more liquid.  Be careful, it goes from clumpy to runny very fast.  Drizzle over the cookie logs and allow to set.

7.  Once cookies are cooled, cut into bars and arrange on tray.  For storage beyond one day, refrigerate.

Makes about 18

Difficulty rating  :)

Gelatin and Fruit Mold

All right, this one is super basic.  Yet once again, my Millennial and Gen Z co-workers had never heard of doing this.  Under the concept of what's old being new again, here's an option for a gluten free dessert at holiday gatherings.

I admit that I'm eating more carbs.  The next couple of posts will show that.  As long as I'm lifting boxes at work that are half my weight, I'm going to assume the muscle can burn off a little more blood sugar than I did a year ago.  Still, this recipe was done with sugar-free mix and unsweetened fruit.  I'm trying to get things out of the freezer, including the three quart bags of boysenberries I froze in the spring.  It's about as close to a healthy dessert as you're going to get this time of year.

Just a reminder, don't use raw pineapple or kiwi in gelatin.  There's an enzyme that prevents it from setting.  You can poach the fruit or use canned, but be sure to drain it well.

1 4-serving box gelatin mix, any flavor
1 C fresh or thawed fruit in a coordinating flavor

1.  Prepare gelatin according to package directions.  Allow to set in fridge until semi-firm, but can still go back to smooth on top after stirring.

2.  Cut fruit in bite-sized pieces if using something larger than a berry.  Thoroughly drain if thawing frozen fruit.  Stir into goopy gelatin.

3.  Either portion into individual cups or into a mold.  This can be an actual gelatin mold like I have, or a bowl or cup with an interesting pattern.  Chill until firm, at least 4 hours and preferably 8.

4.  If unmolding, dip for a few seconds in hot water, then flip out onto serving plate.  I'm starting to get better at it.  Probably should have centered the mold and cleaned up the edge before taking a picture.  Re-chill until actual serving time.  It helps the gelatin maintain its shape if you leave the mold on top.  Serve as is, or with garnish of additional fruit and/or whipped cream.

Difficulty rating  :)

Roasted Vegetables with Baba Ghannoush

This was the last thing on November's meal calendar, and I spent about two weeks eagerly awaiting it.  I could have moved it up, but I was working six days those weeks and went ten days between grocery shopping.  I really wanted to make it within a day or two of picking up the vegetables.

I didn't do the Pinterest-ready photos of sheet pan dinners that are carefully arranged by item.  Everything got piled on, except the previously-frozen chickpeas that I had reviving on the stove.

I'm trying to use more seasonings in my cooking in general, which is out of my comfort zone.  I still went easy on the salt.  People tend to cook similar to how they were raised, and my mom had a very light hand with herbs and spices.  Maybe we were fussy eaters, or perhaps her Ashkenazi grandmother only seasoned with salt and pepper.  It was still a great accent to dip the vegetables in the baba ghannoush.

1 large eggplant
*2 cloves garlic
*Tahini paste to taste
salt and pepper to taste
about 1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 lb carrots
1/4 lb parsnip
1/2 lb green beans
1 medium red onion
1 dry pint grape or cherry tomatoes
*1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
*Feta or chevre crumbles for garnish, optional

1.  For the baba ghannoush, preheat the oven to 375º.  Wash the eggplant and pierce in several places.  Roast until deflated and mushy, about one hour.  Allow to cool until it can be handled.  Split and scoop insides into the food processor with a tablespoon of tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and about 1/4 tsp salt.  Run until smooth, taste, and adjust seasonings.  It's going to depend on the size of your eggplant.  If desired, add a tablespoon of olive oil to thicken.  Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.  Prepare vegetables while all that is going on.  Peel and slice carrots and parsnip.  Parsnips are usually carrot-sized, but this year they're all very fat, like someone forgot to harvest them last year.  Do what you can to make the pieces about the same size so they cook evenly.  Trim green beans and French-cut onions (the "wrong" way).  Wash tomatoes, only cutting them in half if they are larger than bite sized.  Unless you care about a picture-perfect arrangement, toss everything together in a bowl.  I really liked the look of a giant pile of vegetables.

3.  Toss vegetables with a generous amount of olive oil and spread on a baking sheet.  I recommend lining it with parchment for easier cleanup.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric.  It's going to look like a lot because it's all on top, but you'll be tossing this later.  Bake in the same 375º oven until the carrots and parsnip are softened, about 30 minutes.

4.  Return cooked veggies to the bowl.  Add the chickpeas and toss everything to distribute the seasonings evenly.  Plate with the baba ghannoush on the side and garnished with cheese crumbles if desired.

Difficulty rating  :)

Black Beans with Miso

Why yes, I did get three posts out of a single meal.  Makes up for two weeks of not cooking anything interesting.

Ever since the stew, I've been looking for dishes that could be improved by using miso paste instead of salt.  It gets around the whole not liking mushrooms thing while still adding umami.

I made this with beans from dry, which is how I'm posting it.  I'm not sure the flavors will infuse the same if you use canned.  It might be contained in the broth instead of the beans themselves.  Since soaking and simmering are both passive cooking methods, I'm still considering this a very easy recipe.  The only thing you have to cut is the onion.

2/3 C dry black beans
2 C unsalted chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tb miso paste of choice
1/4 C sliced red onion or shallot

1.  Sort and rinse black beans and soak for 8 hours.  Drain and rinse again.

2.  In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients.  If necessary, add water to just cover the beans.  Bring to a low boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until very tender.  Stir and check liquid level after 1 hour and add water as necessary to keep beans submerged.

3.  Once beans are done, decide how soupy you want them and drain off the rest of the liquid.  If desired, mash about half the beans with a potato masher to thicken the mixture.  Serve hot, with desired garnishes such as avocado, more onions, cheese, sour cream, etc.

Difficulty rating  π

Quick Pickled Slaw

This recipe out of Southern Living is really for summer cookouts, but I wanted to use it in tacos.  I figured the lightly sweet brine would go well with the salsa verde I was going to add to the tacos.

I was very surprised to find that I did grow radishes in the Pond, despite a warm November.  I thought they were all going to bolt.  The next round should be more successful now that it's cooler.  Especially if the critter that keeps digging up the Pond finds somewhere else to hunt.  Probably a possum.  I don't ask for much out of my garden.  I just want the local wildlife to respect it a tiny bit.

I was somewhat disappointed in the Trader Joe's cabbage.  It was a good price, but the outer two layers had quite a bit of discoloration and probably mold.  You can't tell when they're wrapped.  From now on, I'll buy open-stock.  As for the rest of the cabbage, I'm probably going to make sauerkraut.  It's so easy to do, and 3/4 cabbage's worth doesn't take up much space in the fridge.

If you want more color, use red cabbage or a green/red bagged mix.  You could even use a coleslaw kit and substitute the brine for whatever dressing they provide.  The cheaper coleslaw mixes don't even come with dressing.

1/3 C rice vinegar
1/3 C water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp kosher salt
3 C or 4 oz (about 1/4 head) green or red cabbage, finely shredded
1 C carrots, cut in matchsticks, about 1 medium
1/4 C finely sliced shallot or red onion
3-4 radishes, cut in matchsticks

1.  In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seed, and kosher salt to a boil for several minutes, until the sugar and salt are dissolved.  Set aside.

2.  Combine shredded and cut vegetables in a bowl.  Add warm brine and toss to distribute.  Cover and refrigerate for 12-15 minutes.

3.  Drain off excess brine and transfer salad to serving bowl to retain crunchiness.  If, like me, you prefer your slaw slightly limp, let it sit in the brine longer.  Serve cold.

Difficulty rating  π

Shaping Corn Taco Shells

Papa Smurf didn't do much cooking when I was growing up.  He made rice, and he made taco shells.  I suspect the latter was because my mom didn't really like frying anything.  I remember frying dozens of wontons when I was maybe 10 years old in the little countertop deep fryer.  And yet I wasn't allowed to have an Easy-Bake Oven until I reached the recommended 8 years old?

Of course, nowadays you can buy pre-shaped taco shells that usually come intact.  I happened to have four tortillas and half a pound of shredded pork in the freezer, plus a jar of tomatillo salsa that had not sealed.  I'm trying to get rid of all the small baggies and jars taking up space in the freezer.  I even passed up turkey sales because I didn't want to play tetris to get the bird in there.

It's very easy to fry and shape the tortillas.  Two ingredients, a pair of tongs, and you're good to go.  What I do remember from taco night was Papa Smurf using the adjustable roasting rack as a drying rack for the shells.  Set it over paper towels to catch the drips, and it's like drying laundry.

*White- or Yellow-corn tortillas
Oil for frying

1.  Start heating 1/4" of peanut or vegetable oil in an omelet pan over medium high heat.  When a drop of water dances, you're ready to fry.

2.  Using tongs, set a tortilla in the oil.  It will start to fry immediately.  If it doesn't, the oil isn't hot enough.  Cook for 10 seconds, then flip and cook an additional 5 seconds, unless you like extra-crispy tortillas and want to go longer.  I don't like when they crunch apart.

3.  Use the tongs to fold the tortilla into the shell shape.  Hang upside-down on a roasting rack set over paper towels to maintain shape as they cool.

4.  Fill and serve.  Once cooled, shells can be stored at room temperature for a day.  Re-crisp in toaster oven if necessary.

Difficulty rating  π

Apple Cranberry Dinner Rolls

This is a little late for Thanksgiving, but not for Christmas.  The recipe off the Red Star Yeast website was recommended to me.  The photo for it wasn't exactly Pinterest perfect, or even what I like to post on this blog.  I read it and saw how it was similar to the challah recipe I use, and how to fix the method a bit.

I also thought that the recipe as written makes a great breakfast pastry, especially if you were to drizzle it with powdered sugar icing.  As a dinner roll, I want something a touch more savory, and added just half a teaspoon of dried thyme to the dough.  You could add sage or rosemary, or even oregano, depending on the meal.  It's just there as a hint, not a main flavor.

The original recipe is very specific about using bread flour.  The challah recipe gives separate instructions for A.P., but the comments on this one insist that bread flour is best in this case.  They were amazingly soft and chewy, so I'd go with the recommendation.

*1 C 100º milk
2 Tb sugar
1 packet yeast (2-1/4 tsp)
3-4 C bread flour
3 Tb unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, room temperature
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/2 C finely chopped apple
*1/2 tsp dried thyme
egg wash, optional

1.  Before starting, chop the apple.  I used a gala, and it was almost half an apple.  It's going to depend on the size of the fruit.  Oh, and the original recipe says to peel it.  I didn't.  I also chopped the dried cranberries because they were Trader Joe's, which are kind of big.  If you use Craisins, you're probably ok.

2.  Stir together milk, sugar, and yeast.  Allow to sit until foamy, 5-10 minutes.

3.  If using a stand mixer, start with the paddle.  Stir together milk mixture and 1 C flour.  Add butter, egg, and salt and beat again until smooth.  Stir in chopped apple, cranberries, and thyme.

4.  Switch to dough hook and add 1-1/2 C flour.  Knead into a dough, 10 minutes.

5.  This is where I'm deviating from the post, because it took me way more flour than half a cup to turn this into a proper dough.  Pour out the very soft dough onto half a cup of flour, then dust generously with about 1/4 C more.  Knead until smooth, adding flour as necessary if/when it becomes too sticky to handle. You still want it soft and a tiny bit sticky.  Don't add so much that the dough feels dry.

6.  Lightly oil a bowl and turn dough ball over in it to coat all sides.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch down and let rest 10 minutes.

7.  Line a rimmed baking sheet or large casserole with parchment.  Weigh out 1.5 ounce pieces of dough and form into balls.  Place an inch or so apart in the dish.  I ended up needing a second pan for the last few.  Allow to rise 45 minutes.

8.  Preheat oven to 375º.  If desired, brush rolls with an egg wash, milk, or melted butter prior to baking.  Bake 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Or serve warm.  Cooled rolls may be frozen.

Makes about 20

Difficulty rating  :)

Shrimp with Deconstructed Pesto

While I appreciate how well I've managed my basil this year, it has been a challenge to use or preserve the abundance.  I mean, how much pesto do you really need in the freezer?

I decided to do one last severe trim to the pot before it got too cold out and the leaves became damaged.  Since I don't have hard freezes, it will over-winter and bounce back in the spring.  Some of it is hung up to dry, and the rest went into this dish.

All this sauce became was a tomato-basil pesto that you don't run through the food processor.  It's still whole, with all the ingredients intact, just in different proportions.  I went easy on the cheese and heavy on the tomatoes.

The pasta was simple homemade wheat noodles, and the shrimp is thrown into the sauce at the end to cook in its heat.  You can use packaged pasta and pre-cooked shrimp if you want to focus on the sauce.  Same result.

1/4 C olive oil
*4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
*4 oz basil leaves
1 Tb lemon juice
salt to taste
*1 lb shrimp, size of choice
*1/2 C parmesan cheese
2 Tb pine nuts for garnish
pasta for serving

1.  Start a pot of water for your pasta.  This will come together faster than I thought.  Heat the oil over medium in a large skillet.

2.  Cook the minced garlic in the oil until fragrant, 2 minutes.  Add the can of tomatoes, with their juice, and the basil.  Bring to a low boil, then lower heat slightly so the basil doesn't fry.  Stir in lemon juice to preserve the color of the basil.  Taste and add salt if needed, keeping in mind the shrimp and cheese will bring some salt to the dish.

3.  After placing the pasta in its pot, add the shrimp to the sauce.  They should cook in about the same amount of time.  Once the shrimp is pink all the way through, turn off the heat.

4.  Serve sauce on top of pasta.  Garnish with pine nuts and cheese.

Difficulty rating  π

Hearty Vegetable Stew

This was supposed to be a vegetarian cholent, and not a post.  Then I started throwing the entire crisper and some crazy spices in it, so I took pictures in case it was worthwhile.  Yep.

It was probably the addition of miso paste which put it over the top.  And since I have dashi miso at the moment, this is no longer vegetarian.  It doesn't taste specifically Asian, probably because I dumped the rest of my tagine spice container into the pot.  And chili powder, and sumac.  The flavors were so over the place that adding asparagus didn't seem additionally weird.  I'm still calling that optional.

This stew is grounded in the mushrooms, kidney beans, and potatoes.  They and the flavorings are the heart of it.  The carrots, asparagus, and cilantro are just interesting to look at.

I'm giving you the one-hour version here.  It didn't fit in the slow cooker.  As long as you're using canned beans, a slow cooker is definitely an option.  I'm guessing 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

2 Tb olive oil
*1/2 onion, diced
*2 ribs celery, diced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 Tb tomato paste
*1 Tb miso paste
1 Tb soy sauce
*1 Tb Ras El Hanout or "Tagine Spice"
1 tsp chili powder
*1/2 tsp sumac
2 C vegetable or mushroom broth (or chicken for non-vegetarian)
1 lb red potatoes, cut in bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut in bite-sized pieces
1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
*4 oz asparagus, cut in 2" lengths (optional)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1.  In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium.  Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook until they give up their water, about 10 minutes.

2.  Add tomato paste, miso paste, soy sauce, ras el hanout, chili powder, and sumac and cook in the mushroom water until smooth.  Stir in broth and bring to a simmer.

3.  Add potatoes and carrots and simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 20 minutes.  Add asparagus, beans, and cilantro and simmer 5 minutes, until everything is heated through.

4.  Serve hot, either as a stew in a bowl or over rice or noodles.

Difficulty rating  π