Creamy Lima and Tomato Soup

I'm in a pantry clearing mood, and there's tomato paste in the freezer.  I decided to use the mashability of dried lima beans to make a soup similar to one thickened by potatoes.  Limas provide protein and fiber, with a mild taste.

I didn't go heavy on the tomato, despite what 1/4 C of paste does to most dishes.  It turned the soup faintly pink.  There's a subtle taste of tomato, not overpowering.

The one thing I was hoping for in this didn't work.  I wanted to do a cold soup.  It gelled.  You would have to add a lot of water to prevent that.  So, not quite like using potatoes.

1 C dried lima beans
1 Tb olive oil
*1 leek, finely chopped
*1/4 C tomato paste
1 tsp celery salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
water as needed

1.  Early in the day, or the night before, soak the beans in water to cover by two inches.  They swell a lot.  Drain and rinse.  If desired, remove skins.  I took off any that were hanging, but didn't push the point.  Add water to cover, bring to a low boil for 5 minutes, then lower heat and simmer for 90 minutes, until tender.

2.  In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium.  Cook the leeks until softened, 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant.

3.  Mash the beans, either with a potato masher or immersion blender, including their cooking water.  Add to pot of seasonings and stir to combine.  Simmer 30 minutes, for flavors to meld.

4.  Stir soup and add water as needed for desired consistency.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Serve hot, garnished with cream, sour cream, or cheese as desired.

Difficulty rating  :)

Chickpea and Potato Salad with Herb Dressing

Yes, I really have been eating salads for a solid two weeks.  And I don't think any of them were raw salads, either.  Temperature has been variable.  What they all have in common is a distinct sauce or dressing.  This one is a Greek salad that found friends.

I'm also intentionally adding beans to nearly every dinner.  Two months until my cholesterol test.  I hate the term "fiber-maxxing", and I'm not doing that.  I'm attempting to get close to the recommended amount.  The average American who thinks they're getting plenty of fiber is probably consuming half that without supplements.  It's just how we eat.

I couldn't find exactly what I wanted in this sauce.  It isn't pesto, which implies nuts and hard cheese.  It isn't sofrito or chimichurri.  Green goddess is mayo-based, and this is a vinaigrette.  It's a "use up all the herbs in the crisper before they go bad" sauce, plus the green tops off the carrots from my garden that I've eaten recently.

This also fits into my prep cooking chapter.  There was leftover dressing because I had enough herbs to make a double batch.  It is now in the freezer, marinating chicken breasts bought for that purpose.  Also freezer-banked this week was one sweet potato's worth of mini pies.  I have four little crusts left in the freezer.  It was two dozen originally.  The crusts are excellent, and I would buy them again, but I need to have a specific use in mind first.

As a side note, the groceries for this dish were a little over $5, including the cheese, for a 4-serving batch.  I love Super King.  Just a reminder that shopping in-season and looking for loss leader specials can still result in healthy, elegant meals.  This salad would easily be $15 as a vegetarian main dish on a lunch menu.

1 lb red potatoes
*1 15 oz can chickpeas, or 2/3 C dry, soaked and cooked
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb Roma (or other) tomatoes, diced
2 Persian or 1 regular cucumber, diced

*2 C assorted fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, and dill
*2 cloves garlic
*Juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 Tb)
1/3 to 1/2 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Scrub the potatoes and dice about 3/4".  I left the skins on.  Place in lightly salted water to cover and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.  Drain.

2.  Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Toss all vegetables together.  I wasn't finishing this in one day and kept the cucumber and tomato separate so they wouldn't make the salad watery.  For same-day, it's fine.

3.  To make the dressing, add herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and salt & pepper to a food processor and pulse into a green slurry.  I started with 1/2 tsp of salt.  You can always add more.  My herbs were half a bunch each of parsley and cilantro, the bunch of carrot greens, half a teaspoon of dried dill, and one sprig of fresh mint.  I loved the tiny hint of dill and mint.  Couldn't taste the cilantro, which was surprising.

4.  Scrape down processor and run again while adding oil until you get a mostly smooth dressing.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Pour over vegetables and chill until ready to serve.  If desired, top with crumbled feta shortly before serving.

Difficulty rating  :)

Eggplant with Red Lentil Salad

I didn't want to turn on the oven, but this felt like a great meal for August.  It isn't exactly a stuffed eggplant, which would be a fully baked dish.  It's roasted eggplant with the lentil mixture spooned over, and could be eaten cold as well as hot.

I definitely need to make this again.  The eggplant acted like "steak".  A roasted portobello mushroom would also work, or a zucchini boat.  Fish or chicken would be a good base as well.  The tahini dressing makes everything tangy and gives heft to a very light dish.

2 medium eggplant
1 C red lentils
*2-3 green onions, finely chopped
1 C finely chopped parsley
1 C finely chopped cilantro
1/4 C olive oil, plus a little for the eggplant
*2 Tb tahini paste
*3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
2 Tb lemon juice

1.  Preheat the oven to 375º.  Cut off the caps of the eggplants and split down the middle.  I chose to scoop out some of the insides and roast it separately to make baba ghannouj on the side, but it isn't necessary.  Rub all sides lightly with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast until easily pierced by a fork, about 30-40 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

2.  While the eggplant is cooking, rinse the lentils well until the water runs mostly clear.  Simmer in water to cover by one inch until split but not mushy, about 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

3.  Chop onions, parsley, and cilantro and add to the lentils in a bigger bowl than you think you need.  Herbs are fluffy.

4.  Whisk together oil, tahini, minced garlic, salt, and lemon juice.  Add a tablespoon of hot water if needed to thin.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

5.  Add dressing to the lentil and herb mixture and toss to coat evenly.  At this point, everything can be chilled to serve cold or plated to serve warm-ish or room temperature.

6.  Plate one half roasted eggplant per serving and spoon over 1/4 of the salad for each.  Serve at desired temperature.

Difficulty rating  π

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Ground meats are still very expensive.  Lentils were on sale for 89¢.  I had not really considered vegan sloppy joes, but it kind of sounded good.  Besides, I still have some pizza/pasta sauce starter that I canned last year.  I have about half of what I made out of the $15 case of Romas.  Ok, so I only have to go through that once every other year.  Nice to know.

The easiest way to make sloppy joes is with canned sauce like Manwich or a seasoning packet.  Second easiest is half a jar of regular spaghetti sauce.  I got interesting with a mushroom marinara.  The smell is amazing because I put too much fresh oregano in it, which is being adjusted for the posted recipe.  (The oregano plant continues to thrive.)  I would gladly use this mixture in a lasagna or moussaka instead of the beef layer.

1 C brown lentils
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 stalk celery, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
*1 Tb Marsala or 1/4 C red wine, optional
*1 15 oz can tomato sauce
*1 Tb oregano, or 1/4 C fresh leaves
*4 hamburger buns for serving

1.  Sort and rinse lentils.  Bring to a boil in a saucepan with water to cover by one inch.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils split but are somewhat firm, about 30 minutes.  Drain.

2.  While that's going on, make the sauce.  In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium.  Add diced onion, garlic, and celery.  Cook until slightly softened.  Add chopped mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until the mushrooms have given off their water, about 10 minutes.

3.  If using, add Marsala or wine to the pan and deglaze.  Add tomato sauce and oregano.  Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and cover until the lentils are ready.  It's going to look like way too much sauce.  That will be fixed once the lentils are added.

4.  Add cooked lentils to the tomato mixture and allow to simmer while you toast the buns.  When everything is ready, spoon lentil mixture generously over toasted buns and serve open-faced.

Difficulty rating  :)

Lemony Fava Beans

Now that I have a reliable source of favas, I need to find ways to use them.  There aren't a whole lot of recipes out there.  They're mostly for ful medames, which I know how to make.  I saw recipes similar to what I'm making here using early spring peas.  That was what I had in mind.

Ok, I'm going to have to buy the frozen favas more often.  They were lacking in cooking instructions, so I put them on to simmer like they were frozen limas.  In five minutes, they were soft and cooked through.  I see why there are recipes out there turning them into guacamole or other spreads.

I pulled a leek from the garden to make this dish, and I did not know they make side pups if you let them grow too long.  I transplanted the babies.  If they survive, that's three more leeks.  I also have a round growing in my indoor seed-starting area.  Hard to believe I need to start my seeds for October transplants this month.

PS, the greens from the leeks are getting dehydrated as seasoning when I don't need them for the broth bag.  You don't need to throw the tough tops away.

2 Tb olive oil
*1 leek, white and light green parts only
*2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and white pepper to taste
one 14 oz bag frozen, double-peeled fava beans
*1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
*juice and zest of one lemon
pasta or rice for serving

1.  To clean the leek, remove root and green ends.  Split down the middle.  Rinse between the layers to remove any dirt and/or bugs.  Shake off excess water.  Cut cleaned leek into 1/4" thick slices.

2.  Simmer favas in water to cover by one inch for five minutes.  Drain and set aside.

3.  Heat oil in a medium skillet or the saucepan.  Cook leeks and garlic until softened, then add favas.  Season with salt and white pepper.  Once heated, add lemon juice, zest, and herbs.  Continue to cook until the lemon comes to a boil, then remove from heat.

4.  If desired, garnish with more herbs, lemon wedges, or even some cheese.  Serve as a side, over pasta or rice, or chill as a salad protein.

Difficulty rating  :)

Artful Farinata

Farinata is the Italian version of socca.  Pretty much the same ingredients and procedures, just another name.

I got the idea to turn this one into a bit of vegetable art by the YouTube channel peas etc.  She cooked up a kilo of chickpea flour in various recipes, and this was one of them.  Unlike my tendency to drop all sorts of things into my soccas and hope for the best, she placed her vegetables strategically.  I decided I could do that.

And then I was tired and hungry after work, and very glad I had done all the chopping in the morning.  It still only took half an hour to cook.

I did think the recipe made more than it did.  If the photo looks like not nearly enough food for a dinner, you're right.  I defrosted half a bagel once this plate was finished.  Nutritionally, this is a main dish, but calorie-wise, it's 2 or 3 servings.  It would work well as an appetizer, side, or snack.  I could make it as part of a Purim spread.  But it was wonderfully easy and baked in the time it took me to change and water the garden.

1 C chickpea flour
1-1/4 C water
1 Tb Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Olive oil
*1/2 C grape tomatoes, cut in half
3 slices red onion
*2 Tb pesto
*2 Tb pine nuts

1.  At least 4 hours ahead, and up to 12, stir together chickpea flour, water, Italian seasoning, salt, and a teaspoon of oil.  Allow to rest until time to bake.

2.  Preheat oven to 450ºF.  Generously oil a nonstick pan.  I didn't want to get burnt oil stains on my quarter-sheet cake pan and lined it with parchment, which was then oiled.  It worked wonderfully.  Place prepared pan in the oven as it is coming up to temp.

3.  Prepare vegetables and think of a game plan how you want to place them.  They're going to move around a little, but not much.  Get everything ready so you can assemble the pan before it cools too much.

4.  Using oven mitts, remove pan and set it somewhere heat safe.  Stir the chickpea batter a few times to get rid of any lumps, then pour it into the pan.

5.  Arrange the vegetables, pesto, and pine nuts however you would like.  I didn't try to make a picture.  I wanted a little of everything in every slice.  The fluffy green stuff is carrot tops.  I didn't put them in the ingredients since carrots are often sold without them.  Quickly return the pan to the oven and bake until the top is dry and bottom is crispy, about 20 minutes.

6.  Slide the farinata out of the pan and onto a cutting board.  Cut into slices or wedges and serve.

Serves 2-3 as a main, 8 as an appetizer

Difficulty rating  :)

Red Lentil Tabbouleh

I went looking for a protein base for tabbouleh (tabouli) other than quinoa.  There are a lot of recipes that qualify out there, and this one did not saddle me with a bag of bulgur.  I did change quite a bit, mainly reducing the mint.  And serving it with feta made it non-vegan.

Super King is really going to help me stay on track with my dietary goals.  Aside from the few convenience foods, it's basically a road map for diabetic and heart healthy shopping.  It's been getting a lot of complaints on Nextdoor, from people whining that it's half produce and has a tiny bread section.  They also don't like the parking lot, which is the same one that's been there for the past 50 years without many issues.  The week I went shopping for this salad, parsley was 5 bunches for a dollar.  At that price, I don't need to grow it. 

2 bunches of parsley
dry pint of grape tomatoes
2 Persian cucumbers, or one regular
*2 Tb fresh mint
*1 bunch green onions
3/4 C red lentils
1/4 C olive oil
*3 Tb lemon juice 
*1 Tb pomegranate molasses
*Sumac and *celery salt to taste

1.  Rinse lentils well.  Bring to a boil for one minute in water to cover by half an inch.  Turn off the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes, until lentils are split and softened, but not mushy.  Drain and set aside to cool.

2.  While that's going on, finely chop the parsley and mint.  Slice the tomatoes in half, or smaller if desired.  Dice the cucumbers (peel if not Persian).  Slice the onions into small pieces.  Separately, whisk together oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, sumac, and celery salt.  If desired, add red chili flakes for a spicier salad.

3.  Add the dressing to the lentils and stir to coat well.  In a medium bowl, toss together dressed lentils and the vegetables.  I saw this trick on a YouTube video, and it makes sense.  Legumes tend to have a mild flavor, so the sauce should go on them first.  Chill until ready to serve.  If desired, garnish with crumbled feta cheese.

Difficulty rating  π

Canning Seasoned Beans

All right, after that whole post about not having to can foods, I did some canning.  I was making a Mexican-themed meal and was out of canned pintos, so I figured I'd can beans and use whatever didn't seal.  Of course, they all did.  Murphy's Law, if I hadn't needed some that day, they would have all failed.

You can add up to half a teaspoon of dried herbs and ground spices to a pint jar, one teaspoon to a quart, for safe pressure canning of low acid foods.  Plus any salt or acid you may choose for flavoring purposes.  Those don't affect the safety equation.

I wanted to make two jars of white beans with herbs to use in salads, which isn't enough for a canner load, so they were sneaked into this batch.  I added a quarter teaspoon each dried parsley and tarragon to each jar, then 1/8 tsp each garlic powder, canning salt, and citric acid.  The acid was for flavor this time.  I'm calling them Provençal white beans, being themed to the south of France.

Out of five jars of pinto beans, I made two plain and unsalted, and three pre-seasoned.  Those can be served as is, or turned into refried beans.  I added paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and canning salt to each jar for those.

The canning procedures I followed can be found on the NCHFP website.  There was a lot of siphoning, but all of the jars had sufficient liquid remaining.  I know there aren't enough beans in the two white jars; I was guessing the dry amount.  The important part for those is that the water was up to the 1" headspace mark when they went in the canner.

And now that my annual physical bloodwork came back that I have to reduce sugar and meat, having ready to go beans will help me to get back on track.  I knew that I was having way too much sugar recently, but there's something about seeing the actual numbers to make it a priority.

Lima Bean & Dill Purée

This Turkish dish is supposed to be made with fava beans.  I tried, I really did.  No dried, no fresh, no frozen.  I was not about to go shopping in Little Persia during Ramadan.  And then the whole Iran thing happened and streets are closed for demonstrations anyway.  So, dried lima beans was my solution.

As a result, I'm making a couple of changes.  The main one is that fava beans apparently cook way faster than limas.  The other change is that my limas did not seem capable of thickening.  I could have made it like a lima version of vichyssoise, and may do that at a later date, but that wasn't what I was going for.  Cornstarch to the rescue.  The rest of the recipe is very similar to the one on Aegean Delight.

The result was what I was expecting.  This is a high protein, high fiber appetizer.  It's light, mildly flavored, and not difficult to make.  Just time consuming.

1 C dry lima beans
*1 small onion, chopped
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 Tb lemon juice
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb cornstarch
olive oil for the pan
*Fresh dill or dill weed to taste

1.  The night before, soak the beans in 4 cups of water.

2.  Sometime in the morning, drain the beans.  For a very smooth purée, remove the skins.  They should slip right off.  It doesn't have to be tedious; zone out and enjoy the five minutes.  I did it before draining, so I could see the skins when they floated to the surface.

3.  Return the peeled beans to the pot.  Add 1-1/2 C water, the chopped onion, garlic, lemon juice and zest, pepper, and salt.

4.  Bring mixture to a low boil over medium heat.  Boil for 5 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the beans turn to mush.  This could take 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.

5.  Stir 1 Tb water together with the cornstarch to make a slurry.  Set aside.  Oil whatever pan you're using to chill the paste.  I did four ramekins.  You could make this in an 8x8 if you're planning to serve slices.  Mine was in use at the time.

 

6.  Pour purée back into saucepan.  If desired, stir in 1/2 tsp of dill now.  Add cornstarch slurry and stir to combine, then turn on the heat again.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, about two minutes.

7.  Pour into prepared pan or ramekins.  Chill at least 4 hours.

8.  When ready to serve, either slice and plate or turn out onto a serving platter.  Can also be served in individual cups.  Garnish with fresh dill and more olive oil.

Difficulty rating  π

Hummus and Shaved Steak on Naan

I liked the shaved steak that I cooked up for the Philly Cheesesteak strudel, then went looking for something else to do with it.  This wasn't something I found, but other spice combinations inspired it.  Namely, I made a fantastic pot of canned pinto beans with spices that I wished I had blogged.  I was just throwing something in with them for a nothing meal, but they were delicious.  Next time.  This is a slightly more Mediterranean-themed spice mix in an attempt to recreate that effect.

Now, I did this the hard way.  I made a lovely stack of naan and a small batch of Lebanese-style creamy hummus when I saw the prices for these items at the market.  The average person will buy them and just cook the beef.  That's what I'm going to assume here for the purpose of this recipe.

It did get a little messy to eat.  Making a pita sandwich out of it may have worked better.  The second day, I cut the naan in quarters first and ate it like pizza.  Still needed a fork for whatever fell off, but slightly less of an ordeal.

4 individual-sized naan
about 3/4 cup hummus
*14 oz shaved steak or one pound 80/20 ground beef
1 Tb olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, pepper, turmeric, and allspice
1/2 tsp each paprika and cumin
1 Tb dried parsley or 1/4 C fresh

1.  Mix all of the dry spices, including the salt, into a spice mix.  Drizzle the oil in a medium skillet and sprinkle with half of the spices.  Warm on medium heat until fragrant.

2.  Add the meat, then top with remaining spice mix.  Cook until fully browned, turning and breaking it up frequently.  This will take about ten minutes.

3.  While the meat is cooking, prepare the bases.  If desired, warm the naan.  Spread each with a generous amount of hummus, 2-3 tablespoons.

4.  Once the meat is fully cooked, work in the parsley for a minute or so.  Top the breads with the hot meat mixture and serve.

Difficulty level  π

Garlic and Herb Bean Dip

I know it's soup and stew season, but I got in a Mediterranean mood.  There are so many "healthy" recipes being posted now, since most people are on a diet until Superbowl.  I work in foodservice, I know when resolution willpower dies.  Also, it got warm again, and I was missing the simplicity of a dip dinner.

This is a variation of a tofu "ricotta" that I bookmarked to make after the Pantry Challenge.  I'll need to buy some ingredients.  They're all things I will use, and have had on hand in the past, but currently do not have in stock.  It's kind of like hummus without the tahini, which I tend to make frequently, taste, then realize I forgot to add it.  This is why you should taste recipes along the way.  Instead, I'm going all in with the other flavors to make up for the missing sesame paste.

I did break the Challenge a bit to buy carrots.  I needed a dipper, and only had a handful of ripe cherry tomatoes when I ripped out the plant; it got powdery mildew and whiteflies after the storms.  It was between that and a cucumber.  I realized after everything was on the counter that all I had to go with the dip was Wheat Thins and plantain chips.  That week's grocery total was still $2.95.  Including eggs.

*2 C cooked white beans, such as Great Northern, Navy, or Cannellini (a little over 1 15 oz can)
3 Tb olive oil
*6 cloves garlic, smashed
*1/2 C chopped herbs of choice - I used basil, rosemary, parsley, and cilantro
1 tsp salt, or to taste
pepper to taste, about 1/4 tsp
*Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 Tb
*white wine vinegar to taste, about 1 tsp

1.  If cooking the beans from dry, start with about 2/3 C.  The day before, soak for 8 hours, drain.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, until very tender.  Drain and allow to cool slightly.  Makes a great do-ahead.

2.  Place olive oil, garlic, and herbs in a small saucepan.  Bring to a low boil over medium-low heat.  Technically, you're frying the herbs, but do it low so they don't burn.  Turn off the heat after 10 minutes and allow the mixture to steep another 15.  Can also be a do-ahead.

3.  Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse at first to distribute, then run until everything is broken up and only lightly chunky.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  If thicker than you would like, add cooking/can water from the beans.  I needed a bit more salt and vinegar for my preference.  Resisted the urge to add more garlic, since I knew the flavors in the oil would increase as it aged.

4.  Pour into serving bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Flavors will meld and the dip will thicken.  Serve with crackers and vegetables, garnished with more herbs.

Makes about 2 cups

Difficulty rating  π